What should I do with PC prisoners?

mirzabah

First Post

• Aug 20, 2002

• #1

There's a reasonably good chance that a band of orcs will capture all of my players' characters. If this happens I can't decide how far I should go - relieve them of a few items and send them on their way? Or strip 'em nekkid and turn 'em loose in wilderness four days from anywhere? What do you think and why?

 

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A

Alchemist

First Post

• Aug 20, 2002

• #2

Take their stuff. Have the orc leader lord it over them as he picks through their goodies, smacking off the lesser orcs that are already looting them. He laughs as he tells them he is feeling generous by allowing them to leave with some stuff, and that Marvak the Mighty is pleased they stopped by and to come again with more shineys. That should piss them off sufficiently to come back in the future to wipe them out.

 

drnuncheon

Explorer

• Aug 20, 2002

• #3

mirzabah said:

There's a reasonably good chance that a band of orcs will capture all of my players' characters. If this happens I can't decide how far I should go - relieve them of a few items and send them on their way? Or strip 'em nekkid and turn 'em loose in wilderness four days from anywhere? What do you think and why?

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That depends on how PO'ed the orcs are at the PCs, how secretive they're trying to be, etc.

If the orc band is the vanguard of an invading army, they should kill the PCs or send them back as prisoners of war - letting them loose would just enable them to warn people.

If the PCs attacked the orcs, I wouldn't expect mercy. (Heck, if the orcs walked up and the PCs surrendered I wouldn't expect mercy - that'd be a sign of weakness. If they just roll over, thens trip 'em naked and send them on their way because the orc chief won't think they're a threat. Unless they look like they'd be fun to kill.)

If the orcs attacked the PCs and the PCs slaughtered a bunch of them before going down, they might get some respect. Maybe the orcs would even let them join the band. (Of course they'd have to keep proving themselves.)

If you're going to capture the PCs, a LE creature is probably a better bet. An orc might torture and/or kill the prisoners because he was bored and it seemed like a fun thing to do, while a hobgoblin would say 'now that we've taken all of your stuff, is there anyone who might pay a ransom for you?'

J

 

Tom Cashel

First Post

• Aug 20, 2002

• #4

Enslave them.

It would be stupid to let them go when they could conceivably come back with reinforcements and attack the orcs again. Put 'em to work and make them come up with an escape plan.

"Now get outta here, ya bother me" is too easy.

 

Grazzt

Demon Lord

• Aug 20, 2002

• #5

Depending on the situations (like drnuncheon mentioned above) either enslaving them or torturing and killing them would be the way to go.

Even if the PCs surrendered without a fight the orcs might view their sign of weakness as #1 a trick or #2 the party truly being weak, therefore not worthy of living.

If the PCs slaughtered several of the orcs before capture, I dont think the orcs would let them go (not without stripping them completely of everything they own and perhaps torturing them almost to the point of death), but I would imagine a smart band of orcs would slay the PCs outright (I mean, they captured a band of powerful PCs that slaughtered some of them....why turn them loose to get reinforcements or replinish their supplies. Kill them now).

 

Aeolius

Adventurer

• Aug 20, 2002

• #6

Assuming there is a male human amongst the captured PCs, have him serve an orc priestess as the unwilling father of her half-orc child. Now THAT’S torture!

 

Grazzt

Demon Lord

• Aug 20, 2002

• #7

Aeolius said:

Assuming there is a male human amongst the captured PCs, have him serve an orc priestess as the unwilling father of her half-orc child. Now THAT’S torture!

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Yikes! Now that would be bad. On the same note however, if there are any female prisoners, they too could serve as the unwilling mother for the orc priest, leader, or some orc like that.

 

F

Fenes 2

First Post

• Aug 20, 2002

• #8

Sell them into slavery, if that sits right with the tribe. Or keep them as slaves for the orcs themselves. Both presents the opportunity for an escape, or rescue. Do not just strip them of a few baubles and let them go - orcs are vicious. Perhaps let them go bare nekkid, with half an hour before the hunters are set loose...

 

E

Enkhidu

Explorer

• Aug 20, 2002

• #9

So they are all captured?

How about doing some on the spot creation of an "old orc ritual" called "the Hunt." It could be religious rite that all captives become the prey in a hunt dedicated to some orcish god or another.

And, if you desire, you can give all the captive daggers, or spears, or some simple weapon, because the "old orc ritual" calls for the prey to have "teeth." Then the set them loose and give them a (very) short head start. Of course, then the entire villiage can get in on the act of capturing the "prey."

Plus, since this would be an orc ritual, you can actually have orcs fighting each other to be the one to catch the "prey," and that can give you an out if the PC's get re-captured too quickly...

Hey, I'm going to have to remember this!

 

Nifft

Penguin Herder

• Aug 20, 2002

• #10

I've got slavery as a "safety hatch" for my PCs in their quest agains a goblin tribe. Any PC captured will be striped of any obvious weapons & valuables, and put to work. (These goblins are trying to dig something up, you see... and as they're lazy, they appreciate any helpers they can snag.)

Rescuing a captured PC would be a nice quest. If they all get captured, in will ride Amelia Richileux -- LG Female Human Servent of The Shining One (Paladin 6) and her band of followers.

-- Nifft