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  1. - Top - End - #1
    Pixie in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jan 2021

    Default Suggestions wanted - Building the Arcane Prison

    Hiya,

    For my campaign I'd like to add in a secret prison for any and all magic users who break the law. My goal overall is to have a session or two of the PC's finding out where the NPC they need to find is, maybe another scouting/planning and then 3 or so of them breaking the NPC out.

    I was toying with either a god sponsored island in the material plane, hidden away from the world or perhaps just another plane that they get thrown into where the magic doesn't function. Is there any official content that supports these options or any others you've used previously/wished you could ?

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Imp

    Join Date
    Feb 2017

    Default Re: Suggestions wanted - Building the Arcane Prison

    Quote Originally Posted by KCWONDER99 View Post
    Hiya,

    For my campaign I'd like to add in a secret prison for any and all magic users who break the law. My goal overall is to have a session or two of the PC's finding out where the NPC they need to find is, maybe another scouting/planning and then 3 or so of them breaking the NPC out.

    I was toying with either a god sponsored island in the material plane, hidden away from the world or perhaps just another plane that they get thrown into where the magic doesn't function. Is there any official content that supports these options or any others you've used previously/wished you could ?
    There's one of those in the Rime of the Frostmaiden module.

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Pixie in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jan 2021

    Default Re: Suggestions wanted - Building the Arcane Prison

    Quote Originally Posted by Unoriginal View Post
    There's one of those in the Rime of the Frostmaiden module.
    Sweet, I'll get that book and review it. Suggestions still welcome!

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Imp

    Join Date
    Feb 2017

    Default Re: Suggestions wanted - Building the Arcane Prison

    Quote Originally Posted by KCWONDER99 View Post
    Sweet, I'll get that book and review it. Suggestions still welcome!
    Well as the DMG says, there are places or even entire plane where magic just doesn't work, but you could also go for something more outlandish.

    Ex: a place that is under the influence of a jungle spirit, so anyone trying to cast a spell within it gets transformed into a jungle animal for 1hxthe spell slot level (minimum 1 hour for cantrips), and the spell slot is spent without effect.
    Last edited by Unoriginal; 2021-04-16 at 09:15 AM.

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    DwarfFighterGuy

    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Omaha, NE
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    Male

    Default Re: Suggestions wanted - Building the Arcane Prison

    Just as a side note: if the PCs who are meant to escape from the prison use magic, you might want to throw in a way to get around the prison's magic nullifying abilities. Like, if they have a specific token that they're attuned to they can cast spells. Or, if they've been blessed by the spirit that guards the area (which would require a side quest to gain the blessing beforehand), then they can cast without issues. That kind of thing.
    "I'd like to cast Feather Fall for when my team lets me down."

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Pixie in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jan 2021

    Default Re: Suggestions wanted - Building the Arcane Prison

    Quote Originally Posted by The_Jette View Post
    Just as a side note: if the PCs who are meant to escape from the prison use magic, you might want to throw in a way to get around the prison's magic nullifying abilities. Like, if they have a specific token that they're attuned to they can cast spells. Or, if they've been blessed by the spirit that guards the area (which would require a side quest to gain the blessing beforehand), then they can cast without issues. That kind of thing.
    I was thinking it would be a case of them using smarts to do the breakout . I would like to make it so they avoid a blow everything up angle. Possibly call in favours with the thieves/assassin guilds for info on previous escapes or maybe just let them really plan it out properly. I do like the idea of bargaining with the spirit for a blessing that allows them more power than others in the location.

    To make it a little easier maybe I could have them get items that will work inside the field to limit the options and keep casters relevant.

  7. - Top - End - #7
    Dwarf in the Playground
    Join Date
    Apr 2020

    Default Re: Suggestions wanted - Building the Arcane Prison

    What about permanent wild magic. If you try to cast a spell it fails and instead produces a wild magic surge. Incredibly dangerous, but could be beneficial too.

    Probably a really terrible idea for a jail, but would be a really fun, chaotic escape!

  8. - Top - End - #8
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Imbalance's Avatar

    Join Date
    Dec 2018

    Default Re: Suggestions wanted - Building the Arcane Prison

    Just recently did some checking on this myself. You might like Dreadhold, for example:

    http://paizo.com/dragonissues/344/DR344_Supplement.pdf
    “Rule is what lies between what is said and what is understood.”
    ~Raja Rudatha, the Spider Prince
    Golem Arcana

  9. - Top - End - #9
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Goblin

    Join Date
    Mar 2018

    Default Re: Suggestions wanted - Building the Arcane Prison

    I understand how some sources might give you ideas, but I think you should focus on what sort of narrative you want here.

    Is this going to be a breakout plan like Guardians of the Galaxy where the party needs to shut down the magic dampening field from a control or battery area?

    Is it a heist type breakout where the group is trying to sneak in and rescue someone?

    Is it more political about trying to get information from fellow prisoners or organize a prison revolt to provide cover for their escape?

    Is it merely a pocket dimension where magic just flat out does not exist? Are there magical tokens that once stolen would allow normal magic to be used.

  10. - Top - End - #10
    Orc in the Playground
     
    Zombie

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    Jul 2017
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    UK
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    Default Re: Suggestions wanted - Building the Arcane Prison

    The imprisonment spell can give you some options.

    The main difficulty in creating a prison for spellcasters is the Teleport spell, which has only Verbal components. Sorcerers can even bypass that with subtle metamagic. So not all the options of the Imprisonment spell works against that.

    I would personally go for slumber or hedged prison.

  11. - Top - End - #11
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Lizardfolk

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    Apr 2019
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    Somewhere over th rainbow

    Default Re: Suggestions wanted - Building the Arcane Prison

    Quote Originally Posted by follacchioso View Post
    The imprisonment spell can give you some options.

    The main difficulty in creating a prison for spellcasters is the Teleport spell, which has only Verbal components. Sorcerers can even bypass that with subtle metamagic. So not all the options of the Imprisonment spell works against that.

    I would personally go for slumber or hedged prison.
    Permanent Antimagic effects or areas of silence/gags could help with that.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Waterdeep Merch View Post
    Use your smite bite to fight the plight right. Fill the site with light and give fright to wights as a knight of the night, teeth white; mission forthright, evil in flight. Despite the blight within, you perform the rite, ignore any contrite slight, fangs alight, soul bright.

    That sight is dynamite.

  12. - Top - End - #12
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    GnomeWizardGuy

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    Apr 2019
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    Lower Menthis

    Default Re: Suggestions wanted - Building the Arcane Prison

    Make sure they put prisoners in heavy armor and handcuffs. That shuts down most spell casters since you can't cast spells in armor unless you are proficient in that armor, and you can't remove armor while you are in handcuffs. It would be kind of cool for the Eldritch Knight to save the day, rescuing the wizard.

  13. - Top - End - #13
    Pixie in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jan 2021

    Default Re: Suggestions wanted - Building the Arcane Prison

    Quote Originally Posted by Verble View Post
    I understand how some sources might give you ideas, but I think you should focus on what sort of narrative you want here.

    Is this going to be a breakout plan like Guardians of the Galaxy where the party needs to shut down the magic dampening field from a control or battery area?

    Is it a heist type breakout where the group is trying to sneak in and rescue someone?

    Is it more political about trying to get information from fellow prisoners or organize a prison revolt to provide cover for their escape?

    Is it merely a pocket dimension where magic just flat out does not exist? Are there magical tokens that once stolen would allow normal magic to be used.
    Hi, I like the guardians/heist angle the most so far. I was thinking of maybe having them 'obtain' guard equipment to allow a certain amount of spell levels while working through the break-in and on the way out. Probably bracers with 10 inlaid stars that fade as used.

  14. - Top - End - #14
    Pixie in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jan 2021

    Default Re: Suggestions wanted - Building the Arcane Prison

    Quote Originally Posted by Bobthewizard View Post
    Make sure they put prisoners in heavy armor and handcuffs. That shuts down most spell casters since you can't cast spells in armor unless you are proficient in that armor, and you can't remove armor while you are in handcuffs. It would be kind of cool for the Eldritch Knight to save the day, rescuing the wizard.
    That's a rule I forgot about, portable iron maidens aesthetic is something I can get behind.

  15. - Top - End - #15
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Imp

    Join Date
    Feb 2017

    Default Re: Suggestions wanted - Building the Arcane Prison

    You could also have crazier stuff, like all the prisoners being stuck in a shared mental world created by a giant psionic plant.

    Or the prisoners having been True Polymorphed into slabs of copper.

    Or the prisoners having been petrified then left among many regular hyper-realistic statues.



    In any case, remember that a large share of a casters' spells simply don't work if they can't see. So filling the whole prison with some kind of too-dense-to-see-through fog could be one of the security measures if an escape attempt is suspected/discovered.

  16. - Top - End - #16
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Lizardfolk

    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    Somewhere over th rainbow

    Default Re: Suggestions wanted - Building the Arcane Prison

    Quote Originally Posted by Bobthewizard View Post
    Make sure they put prisoners in heavy armor and handcuffs. That shuts down most spell casters since you can't cast spells in armor unless you are proficient in that armor, and you can't remove armor while you are in handcuffs. It would be kind of cool for the Eldritch Knight to save the day, rescuing the wizard.
    Or that one wizard with the single level fighter dip...
    Professional Ancient Relic
    Beware, Monologues
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    Quote Originally Posted by Waterdeep Merch View Post
    Use your smite bite to fight the plight right. Fill the site with light and give fright to wights as a knight of the night, teeth white; mission forthright, evil in flight. Despite the blight within, you perform the rite, ignore any contrite slight, fangs alight, soul bright.

    That sight is dynamite.

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