[3.5] Need to rescue a NPC, but DM seemingly has made it impossible.

[Kioras]

We are a level 8 group, that is stuck in a bit of a quandry.

level 8 cleric, with a caster level of 6 (LG)
level 8 shifter barbarian (CG)
level 8 ninja/swordsage (LN)
level 8 bard (CG)
level 8 sorceror/favored soul, who is aiming for mystic theurge. (LN)

We have to rescue or faciliate an escape of a NPC from a strongly held stronghold.

The NPC in the stronghold is guarded by a strong mercanary company that is higher level and likely outnumbers us. The town itself is a fascist company run town that is strongly on the LE side, with a well equiped and competant guard.

The town leader is a vengeful high level(much higher then us) caster who has locked everyone who disagree's with him or breaks any number of rules in an internment camp so there is no local town opposition, thieves guild or any local allies. He surrounds himself with other casters, who are not quite as high level.

The town leader has a legal reason to hold the person, per the letter of the law.

The GM expects us to more or less use what little of our money to bribe the mercenary company to go away, then we can have a merry chase, where we would have to be dodging this very vengeful caster and his cohort, to bring the NPC back to where we need to have her investigated.

Almost all the party is good, and is disgusted by the town, but there is the oppressive feeling that we can't do anything, and do not have the power to do so either.

Is there something we are missing or a solution, or did our DM seemingly write us into a corner?

[Deca4531]

We are a level 8 group, that is stuck in a bit of a quandry.

level 8 cleric, with a caster level of 6 (LG)
level 8 shifter barbarian (CG)
level 8 ninja/swordsage (LN)
level 8 bard (CG)
level 8 sorceror/favored soul, who is aiming for mystic theurge. (LN)

We have to rescue or faciliate an escape of a NPC from a strongly held stronghold.

The NPC in the stronghold is guarded by a strong mercanary company that is higher level and likely outnumbers us. The town itself is a fascist company run town that is strongly on the LE side, with a well equiped and competant guard.

The town leader is a vengeful high level(much higher then us) caster who has locked everyone who disagree's with him or breaks any number of rules in an internment camp so there is no local town opposition, thieves guild or any local allies. He surrounds himself with other casters, who are not quite as high level.

The town leader has a legal reason to hold the person, per the letter of the law.

The GM expects us to more or less use what little of our money to bribe the mercenary company to go away, then we can have a merry chase, where we would have to be dodging this very vengeful caster and his cohort, to bring the NPC back to where we need to have her investigated.

Almost all the party is good, and is disgusted by the town, but there is the oppressive feeling that we can't do anything, and do not have the power to do so either.

Is there something we are missing or a solution, or did our DM seemingly write us into a corner?

maybe pay the guards to instead cause a distraction somewhere else while you get in and get your NPC. or have your ninja go invis and coup de grace people long the way.

[Craft (Cheese)]

What kinds of resources does this mercenary company have? What kinds of magical defenses are available to them (Like, do they have the ability to Dimensional Lock important rooms)?

[dascarletm]

You could journey far and wide to raise allies to help you in this quest. You might just level up yourself.:smallbiggrin:

[WesleyVos]

1) Stage a raid on the internment camp using the ninja, sorcerer, and barbarian. Use sniping and hit-and-run tactics as much as possible. If, against all odds, it succeeds, you have allies. If not, it serves as a useful diversion. Hopefully the camp will be reinforced with some of the guards from the stronghold and from town.

2) The bard (who hopefully has done as a bard should and focused on enchanting people and disguising himself) should do those things and attempt to bluff his way into the stronghold. The cleric should be standing by to help extract the bard if something goes wrong.

3) Once the bard is inside, he/she should be able to sneak/enchant/bluff his or her way to the prisoner's cell. An invisibility sphere then gets both of them out unseen, with a silent image remaining of the prisoner sleeping in his/her cell still (hopefully) keeps the guards from getting too suspicious until after you all are well away from the town.

That's what I'd try, at least.

[WebTiefling]

What kinds of resources does this mercenary company have? What kinds of magical defenses are available to them (Like, do they have the ability to Dimensional Lock important rooms)?

This.

Do some research and bribing to see if the room in which the target is being held is blocked to Teleport. If not, then ...

You don't have Teleport yet, but you can certainly purchase a couple scrolls. Bump your CL up with Adept Spirit so you'll have a CL of 9, so you can cast the scrolls without worry. Teleport in and Teleport the target out straight to where you need to take her.

All done.

If it is blocked, you have a bit more trouble.

You'll need to get scrolls of Passwall. Get to the outside wall of her cell, Passwall in, grab her, and head back out.

Then Teleport away.

Scroll of Passwall: 1125.
Scroll of Teleport: 1125
Bribes to determine location of prisoner: 100 gp? (guards make piddly wages, so 100 gp is a massive bribe)
.....
Expression on your DM's face when he realizes you've bypassed his whole expected chase scene: Priceless.

[Kioras]

This.

Do some research and bribing to see if the room in which the target is being held is blocked to Teleport. If not, then ...

You don't have Teleport yet, but you can certainly purchase a couple scrolls. Bump your CL up with Adept Spirit so you'll have a CL of 9, so you can cast the scrolls without worry. Teleport in and Teleport the target out straight to where you need to take her.

All done.

If it is blocked, you have a bit more trouble.

You'll need to get scrolls of Passwall. Get to the outside wall of her cell, Passwall in, grab her, and head back out.

Then Teleport away.

Scroll of Passwall: 1125.
Scroll of Teleport: 1125
Bribes to determine location of prisoner: 100 gp? (guards make piddly wages, so 100 gp is a massive bribe)
.....
Expression on your DM's face when he realizes you've bypassed his whole expected chase scene: Priceless.

I often forget about UMD skill, simply because i do not have it and it is often forgotten.

That is likely the best situation, see if we can get to her, one way or another, and then just teleport out somewhere. Should be able to ace the UMD check also, there are spells for that also.

Bypass the whole situation, scry the NPC , teleport in, and then teleport out.

My only issue might be will the DM allow us to do this, or does he want us to follow his specific plan and only his plan.

[Ortesk]

I often forget about UMD skill, simply because i do not have it and it is often forgotten.

That is likely the best situation, see if we can get to her, one way or another, and then just teleport out somewhere. Should be able to ace the UMD check also, there are spells for that also.

Bypass the whole situation, scry the NPC , teleport in, and then teleport out.

My only issue might be will the DM allow us to do this, or does he want us to follow his specific plan and only his plan.

If hes gonna railroad you, none of our advice will help. sounds like he is rail roading so far, so as a question how by the book is he? with that info, i can bring forth some decent advice. also, how is the bard built? the bard will be the champ here

[Red Fel]

Okay.

After disposing of the self-destructing tape from which you received your mission, you should assemble your team.

Your Bard is a master of disguise. Obviously, he will prepare disguises for himself and the Barbarian. The Bard will dress as a guard, the Barbarian as a prisoner. The Bard will bring the Barbarian to the facility, where he will be held in the same cell as your target, and appraise the target of the plan. The Cleric will get a job with the prison as prison chaplain, ministering to the prisoners and helping them see the error of their ways.

The Ninja will stage an abduction, with help on the inside from the Bard. They will abduct your enemy, and when he regains consciousness, he will find himself restrained, in a cell, overseen by the Ninja and the Sorcerer. The two of them will trick him into revealing the secrets of his facility's defenses. The Ninja will then drug him, and he will lose consciousness.

At a pre-determined time, the Sorcerer will use his magic to create a massive diversion in the facility. Using his knowledge of the facility, the Ninja will infiltrate the jail block with a large package slung over his shoulder. His entrance will be covered by the Bard, still disguised as a guard, whose job in the intervening time will have been to get the other guards drunk. The Ninja and Bard will make their way to the jail cells, where they will release the Barbarian and prisoner, replacing the prisoner with the mysterious package. They will rendezvous with the Cleric, who will have been spending his time ministering to the prisoners and preparing them for this event, in order to conduct a prison riot. The team - the Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, and Ninja, will escort the prisoner out of the facility in all of the chaos, to where the Sorcerer is waiting. Then they will make their escape.

In the cell, as chaos erupts all around, the package will stir, and the BBEG will wake up, realize where he is and what's going on, and roar with impotent rage.

Cut to closing credits and theme song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pb5WV1RnXQ).

[Ortesk]

if the bard is built well, diplomance the city into taking the fort for you

[qwertyu63]

And if your DM refuses to allow any plan other then the one he has in mind, smack him upside the head for be a railroading fool.

[Ortesk]

Bard does gather information, gains a +4 competence on bardic knowledge. Glamers his armor to look like a generals uniform, casts glibness +30 bluff. level 8 should have 11 ranks, 4 mod, not in combat so take 10, have a +55 bluff check, use alter self and look like general, walk in demand the guy walk out. its a tyrannical system, there fold or you have there heads chopped off. walk away with NPC, laugh as dm cries foul and bards are broken

[Kioras]

if the bard is built well, diplomance the city into taking the fort for you

Bard is extremely unoptimized, don't think he has any illusions. Don't think he is packing much in the diplomacy skill either, he is stressing perform stuff i think.

Not really sure on the bards full build or abilities. As a rule the whole party's power level is a mess, the barbarian does a portion of the real damage he can actually do.

[Ortesk]

Bard is extremely unoptimized, don't think he has any illusions. Don't think he is packing much in the diplomacy skill either, he is stressing perform stuff i think.

Not really sure on the bards full build or abilities. As a rule the whole party's power level is a mess, the barbarian does a portion of the real damage he can actually do.

Maybe he is a traveling minstrel who seeks to perform for the tired guards, as an act of thanks because the order/militia/something maybe once helped in a way he feels indbted, long long ago of course. as guards are enjoying the show, perhaps the ninja sneaks in and finds the Npc. The barbarian has went and found orcs/kobolds/goblins and slain there leaders and taken command of a good sized militia. the bard has left them off gaurd and open, the barbarian charges with his horde, sure the horde is doomed but they make a scene as ninja gets the guy and as soon as they leave, the cleric is there to help them get away with whatever mrans he has, as the barbarian and bard make off into the night. use alternate means to an end, make the dm feel he made an epic encounter which was hard to beat but you won in a mundane way, no cheese or obvious attempts to derail his surely ingenious plot, which means you have your man and he feels he did good

[Telok]

Forgery. Make the ninja go and steal some documents (a prisoner transfer order would be perfect) and forge yourself a solution.

Don't have forgery trained? Divine Insight (Complete Adventurer) and Wieldskill (Magic of Faerun) will do it for you.

[Ezberron]

some thoughts:

Forgery is your friend. In a lawful evil fascist society, everyone is afraid of being arrested for failure so they won't look too hard at any documents that looks legitimate. As long as it's not a complete fake and they can blame someone else if it turns out later to be a fake, then nobody will really care.

Another idea, assuming the BBG doesn't know who you are and is gunning for you, is to get someone arrested deliberately for a very very minor crime. Enough to get inside and get a look around for a day or week or two.

If you're really brave and your GM appreciates guts, you could always just wait for the BBG to leave the area and then polymorf/disguise into him and just walk in, demand to see so-and-so prisoner and then walk out. nobody would expect anyone to be brave/crazy enough to be the tyrant and well, if you can get a good enough disguise and bluff roll, nobody is going to say no to him.

[Telonius]

Exactly how time-sensitive is this rescue mission? It sounds like they only intend to imprison him, not execute him. Leveling up a bit and gaining more resources might actually be a good plan.

[Maginomicon]

This might seem really silly, but for any infiltration/extraction mission, if you can somehow get a portable hole to the NPC, you can either bring someone inside the fortress or enable them to hide and get themselves out.

One creative way to accomplish this is with a ring gate. Somehow get one ring gate in the pair to the prisoner (the Magic Aura spell may be useful here to disguise the ring's magic), then push half of a portable hole through your ring gate. Only half of the portable hole should be pushed through. They put their half of the portable hole on the floor of their cell and activate it. You do the same on your end with your half of the portable hole. Presto! Instant "wormhole" (the portable hole doesn't care if it's all in the same place so long as it's physically untorn). When done, simply pull your half of the portable hole back through the ring gate and (if necessary) destroy your ring gate in the pair (rendering the other ring non-magical and the guards baffled). Alternatively, throw your ring gate in a lake instead of destroying it.

Granted, ring gates and portable holes are expensive...

[holywhippet]

Do any of the spell casters (bard or sorcerer) know the gaseous form spell. It's pretty much perfect for this situation. Use it to get in, scout using invisibility, use it on self and prisoner to escape.

[Pickford]

Well, you could try (emphasis on try) forging documents purporting to be from the Town Leader (TL) requiring that the prisoner be moved to another cell, perhaps to prevent some unruly friends from attempting a prison break (aha, you make them think you're actually doing what 'they' might do!). You didn't really mention what skillsets these characters actually have, nor their spells (which is kind of important for knowing what the Sorc and Bard can do). Bard might try the old starwars gambit, bringing the Barbarian in as a 'new capture' (and ideally putting those bluff skills to use).

Alternatives: Ninja acquires a non-detection amulet and breaks into the prison single-handedly (you didn't provide a level breakdown, but ideally he has speed climb and the invisibility abilities, using them judiciously to sneak past/assassinate guards...best bet is using invisibility to sneak up and poison drinks, perhaps something non-lethal that simply incapacitates them if you're squeemish).

The amulet would of course be for whomever you want to smuggle out, since the opposing caster would (ideally) have no idea who you are, yet. If not, he'll have to waste time trying to track you down, all the harder if the known quarry is unfindable.

[(Un)Inspired]

This is gonna sound counter intuitive alignment wise but hear me out:

Wightpocalypse

You said the entire town in lawful evil right? By d&d's morally reprehensible alignment system, killing them all is actually a good act. So many evil people dying cancels out the very small, only slightly, barely, evil act of creating your starter wight from a scroll.

Smuggle your wight into the city and let him go to town (so to speak) on the evil little curmudgeons. While the city and high level caster is rushing to solve their new undead problem you jailbreak your target.

Since your lawful good cleric is probably not fully on board with being the one to pull the trigger on this wightpocalypse then have your favored soul active the scroll.

Everybody wins! (except the town of course)

[Hammerpriest]

This is gonna sound counter intuitive alignment wise but hear me out:

Wightpocalypse

You said the entire town in lawful evil right? By d&d's morally reprehensible alignment system, killing them all is actually a good act. So many evil people dying cancels out the very small, only slightly, barely, evil act of creating your starter wight from a scroll.

Smuggle your wight into the city and let him go to town (so to speak) on the evil little curmudgeons. While the city and high level caster is rushing to solve their new undead problem you jailbreak your target.

Since your lawful good cleric is probably not fully on board with being the one to pull the trigger on this wightpocalypse then have your favored soul active the scroll.

Everybody wins! (except the town of course)

Except murdering people in cold blood is almost always considered both Evil and Chaotic regardless of the person being murdered's alignment. Furthermore, OP has stated that 3 of his party is Lawful and as such, they might have a huge problem with this plan.

My suggestion? Bribe some guards to reveal the magical protections that the guards have on the facility. Once you know which defenses they have, come back and tell us. We'll be able to tell you which scrolls to pick up.

[Pickford]

Except murdering people in cold blood is almost always considered both Evil and Chaotic regardless of the person being murdered's alignment. Furthermore, OP has stated that 3 of his party is Lawful and as such, they might have a huge problem with this plan.

My suggestion? Bribe some guards to reveal the magical protections that the guards have on the facility. Once you know which defenses they have, come back and tell us. We'll be able to tell you which scrolls to pick up.

Murdering people in cold blood 'is' always evil. The ends never justify the means within the D&D universe.

[Hammerpriest]

Murdering people in cold blood 'is' always evil. The ends never justify the means within the D&D universe.

I didn't really feel like making a blanket statement when someone could possibly come up with a crazy edge case. Regardless, starting a Wight-ocalypse is certainly never an option for most parties, and definitely not the option in this case. I think we can agree on that.

[Pickford]

I didn't really feel like making a blanket statement when someone could possibly come up with a crazy edge case. Regardless, starting a Wight-ocalypse is certainly never an option for most parties, and definitely not the option in this case. I think we can agree on that.

There are no corner or edge cases. You defined it as cold-blooded murder. Even doing that to an unredeemably evil being is, by definition, evil.

[(Un)Inspired]

I feel like a lot of adventuring is based around killing people in cold blood. Even paladins go around killing people in cold blood so long as those people are evil (orcs, goblins, dragons etc...). YMMV. I don't agree with it I'm just saying that killing evil people in d and d isn't, by the games internal moral code, evil.

I agree that the wightpocalypse is almost never an option for most adventuring parties. That's why when there's a rare opportunity to use it you gotta go for it!

It might not be the right plan for this party and that's ok. If it's not something the OP's party can use then a lot of other good suggestions have been made.

I think that the most important part of your plan should be subterfuge. Engaging the higher level caster head on is probably your worst case scenario.

[theIrkin]

Whitepocalypse is always the answer! But really, on the subject of this "is it evil to kill evil diversion," it's good to kill evil. It's bad to kill a town if the town is only controlled by a LE faction. If every member of the town is evil, then DnD (and all the Angels and pointed-ears and what-nots) will celebrate you as the hero.

[Vertharrad]

Actually whightapocalypse...evil action there, not every person in a LE society is that alignment so you just murdered some neutral and the odd good person to win congratulations!!! Your evil...

[(Un)Inspired]

The town itself is a fascist company run town that is strongly on the LE side



Almost all the party is good, and is disgusted by the town

I could very easily be mistaken but it sounded like the entire town was LE

The party is very good however and the idea of using a wightpocalypse is probably not gonna fly. Too bad, wightpocalypse , the cause of and answer to all life's problems...

[Bonzai]

Step 1: Gain a level or two.

Step 2: Get the Ninja to infiltrate the Fortress.

Step 3: Have him kill the NPC.

Step 4: Wait for them to bury the body.

Step 5: Raise Dead.

Step 6: Profit.

[Hammerpriest]

Step 1: Gain a level or two.

Step 2: Get the Ninja to infiltrate the Fortress.

Step 3: Have him kill the NPC.

Step 4: Wait for them to bury the body.

Step 5: Raise Dead.

Step 6: Profit.

Don't even waste the money on raise dead. Commune with dead works just as well if you just need to speak with them.

[Twilightwyrm]

You say the town leader has a legal reason for holding the target? Well, this ill depend a bit on how likely your DM is to railroad the situation, but one potential solution is to Johnnie Cochran the situation. Either get one of your party members, or higher an NPC with, as many ranks in Profession (Barrister) as possible, along with the associated masterwork item, magical bonus granting item, and spell buffs you can afford (plus perhaps Glibness, just to be safe). Then lodge a formal complaint, and have your good lawyer use the convoluted and corrupt nature of fascist's own laws against him, forcing the release of the prisoner in question. If you feel it necessary, refer the DM to the sections of Cityscape/DMG II that deal with a place's law rank. This will have the advantage of, hopefully, giving you an objective framework in which to work, rather than leaving it to DM fiat.

[Pickford]

I feel like a lot of adventuring is based around killing people in cold blood. Even paladins go around killing people in cold blood so long as those people are evil (orcs, goblins, dragons etc...). YMMV. I don't agree with it I'm just saying that killing evil people in d and d isn't, by the games internal moral code, evil.

Well, there's your problem bolded right there! This isn't about feelings, nor is the morality within D&D typically subjective (so internal moral codes have no place in such a discussion).

Murder is always evil (cold-blooded or otherwise). What Paladins (and most adventurers) do is not murder. Paladins kill to protect others, in self defense, or, if attempting to punish those who harm innocents, when they will not come peaceably but insist on fighting to the death.

If you have a paladin who's just willy-nilly attacking things solely because they ping evil, he's a blackguard now, not a paladin.

[(Un)Inspired]

I'm not sure you're right. I think d and d is full of examples where forces of "good" either commit murder themselves under the banner of just provocation or endorse others to do their murder for them.

Look at the adventure The Ettin's Riddle. A good god basically sicks a monster on some villages to teach a cleric a lesson.

Look at Order of The Stick and the paladins that slew Red Cloak's tribe.

[Pickford]

Look at Order of The Stick and the paladins that slew Red Cloak's tribe.

You're using a third-party cartoon to refute the rules as written? Boggles the mind it does.

[(Un)Inspired]

(Un)Inspired casts a spell of Mindboggle!

I'm just using OOTS as an example of how some games might have a good character commit murder .

[DSmaster21]

I believe it is stated (don't know where (note: not in comic but Word of Giant)) that those paladins were committing an evil act by attacking the Goblins.

[(Un)Inspired]

I believe it is stated (don't know where (note: not in comic but Word of Giant)) that those paladins were committing an evil act by attacking the Goblins.

You could be right. I've always seen the alignment system as a means of justified murder but not everyone sees it that way. I think that my concerns over whether or not a good character can commit murder or not have hijacked this thread for too long. I concede defeat.

[Pickford]

You could be right. I've always seen the alignment system as a means of justified murder but not everyone sees it that way. I think that my concerns over whether or not a good character can commit murder or not have hijacked this thread for too long. I concede defeat.

You're a prince among men for your graciousness.

[Captnq]

We are a level 8 group, that is stuck in a bit of a quandry.

level 8 cleric, with a caster level of 6 (LG)
level 8 shifter barbarian (CG)
level 8 ninja/swordsage (LN)
level 8 bard (CG)
level 8 sorceror/favored soul, who is aiming for mystic theurge. (LN)

We have to rescue or faciliate an escape of a NPC from a strongly held stronghold.


Uhhh... Shoot the Sorcerer/Favored Soul for wasting so many levels? Seriously. Mystic Theurge is a trap to begin with, but that's harsh.

Anyrate, I can see that this is a sub-optimal party, and it's clear your DM is a Conductor (as in, welcome to his choo-choo train.) So, we're going to have no choice but to really think outside the box.


Option 1: Kill the NPC. Get his corpse. Raise from Dead.

Someone else suggested this before me, but it bares repeating. Only problem is if his NPC spellcasters like to animate the dead.


Option 2: Find out who the leader cares about. Kidnap them. Prisoner exchange.

Possibility he's a cartoon villian and doesn't care about anyone.


Option 3: Sapping.

There are many ways to do this. Summoning an earth Elemental, Small (any) or a Celestial dire badger and having him tunnel under a wall then simply undermining the wall's foundation should do wonders. Done over several days you should eventually bring the whole place down. Works really well, but will be time intensive. Burrow is also a 3rd level cleric spell.


Option 4: Plague

The spell affliction allows you to give evil people a horrible disease. Nothing in the spell says they can't infect someone else. so Raging desire should get people to, ahem, infect one another. Or Haunting conscience is a good choice, because it's passed in the air. In that evil town, you should be able to start multiple different "patient zeros" and watch the entire town self destruct in a few days. And it's a GOOD spell too. Weird.


Option 5: Gather Intel

Chain of eyes is good for this, and it's a 3rd level cleric spell as well. Will last for 6 hours.


Option 6: Scare the crap out of the bad guy.

Okay, this one might take some more work. If I had the levels (You don't) I'd locate a bunch of corpses. Remove the flesh. Flesh to stone the bones. Stone shape the bones into one huge Mobile Platform. Stone to flesh. Animate Dead. Put on some ballista on it. Have skulls all over the place and have it have about 40 arms/legs for it to run on. Deck the party out in evil clothing. Pick up some evil names. Each name should have something to do with Dead Things, Heraldry, and Mucus. Lord Slime Skull, for example.

If your undead war platfore is not an option, animate animal corpses. Display typical CE behavior. Have an animated kitten skeleton covered in spikes that you pet constantly. Your minions are zombie pigs. Call then Wild Zomboars. Claim to be sent by your lord and master, Necrophilius the Corpse Lover. State that you REALLY want to buy the NPC prisoner. That your boss might come to town himself if you can't buy him. Twitch often. Lear in a sexual fashion at inanimate objects. Comment how much more beautiful the town whores would be without limbs. Think CREEPY.

If your enemy doesn't kill you he's bound to sell the NPC just to get rid of you.


Option 7: Scorched Earth.

This one is simple. Summon Fire elementals. Burn everything to the ground. The NPC is safe in a prison, but the town isn't. Burn baby burn. Hide in Rope Tricks only to come out to burn stuff. Use Message to send an ultimatum to the BBEG, Release the NPC, or watch your nation burn to the ground.


Option 8: Give up.

Say, "Aw well." and leave. Find work somewhere else.

[XmonkTad]

CaptnQ that is the best list I've ever seen.

I agree with the principal of "create a diversion" because it would be fun. Since we're having fun with elementals, you could wait till nightfall and then have a water elemental block up the sewers. Then use an air elemental to blow the sewer gas back up. The flammable gas, plus the prevalence of open fire sources mean you can create quite the distributed diversion.

Also, if you plan on breaking into prison bring lots of acid vials, and a "hand of the mage". Depending on your DMs reading of Nolzur's Marvellous Pigments, you can either paint holes in stuff, or paint extra-dimesional spaces.

[Kioras]

Thanks for the suggestions, had the game session today.

We are on a bit of an in game time crunch however, and the barbarian was absent so not actively played. Another fact is that the place is a loyal follower of the kingdom we are in and need to not make too large of waves.

Had the ninja go scout the place from the outside while we went looking for anything like a side quest. Only real side quest was a lame 'gather mushrooms' type thing.

Keep was guard by an elite, equal or higher level psionic merc company. From what the DM said after the game they would have smeared the group in a fight, as they were semi-optimized. Soulknight, psionic warrior, erudite, wilder, and one other.

He also said that any attempts to mess with the town guard would end up very very badly, was dropping hints that it would be a TPK.

So we bought the bullet, scouted the company out, found out that they were extremely bored. Very very very bored.

We had to bribe them. Made a knowledge local check to find out how much it costs to hire a company. DM said 2.5k-3k for something similar, a 6 month assignment. Ended up after having to paying them 9.5k to go out and get involved in some church related vampire hunting, elsewhere.

Did that, rescued the girl, just have to slowly make our way back to the capital/elsewhere

[IronFist]

Lots of interesting suggestions around here. I have some of my own.

Prove the guy's innocence. If he is not innocent, fake the guy's innocence. Then the city releases him and it saves you a lot of trouble.

Infiltrate the stronghold. Many have already mentioned this, but for my plan, I would say get all members of your party enlistened to this mercenary company. Bring it down from the inside. If you can stay there for enough time, you can craft a magical trap to kill the leader. Which kind of spellcaster is he? The ninja might steal his spellbooks, if he is a wizard, allowing you to kill/incapacitate the dude, then the Bard can impersonate him and release the prisioner. Better yet, if you manage to impersonate him you can use the mercenary company to start a revolution and depose the city's LE leaders! Contact some good-aligned organization (say, church of Kord) get them in the cioty to keep things straight, disband the mercenary company and walk into the sunset.

Nevermind, too late! :smallsmile: