Prison Escape Adventure

[rogueboy]

I'm planning on starting a campaign this summer (probably using 4e rules, but we'll see), and I want to use a Prison Escape as the first session of the game (after making chars, of course). I am currently planning to use the Saltmarsh Garrison map (DMG2, p141), but am unsure of how harsh I should be on the party.

Does anyone have any advice on what I should (or shouldn't) give the party access to (in terms of supplies/weapons/armor/gear/etc) or where I should have them start in order to have a reasonable challenge without making it impossible? I'm hoping to encourage player ingenuity (with the [perhaps naive] hope that it will trigger them to keep thinking creatively throughout the campaign), so unusual or non-obvious solutions are better (and side things where I don't know how the party will manage to do something can work fine too, just to further boost creative ideas).

Thanks!

 

[Cecil Solomon]

To answer your questions, I'd really need to know more about your players (and a little about the campaign direction--both the feel of the campaign and the objective).

The old prison escape is a tried-and-true means of starting a campaign. It solves a lot of problems for the Gamemaster, such as providing a reason for a party of strangers to work together. But you will also face two main challenges: overcoming the cliche and preventing the players from feeling railroaded. Ensure you are at least aware of these issues.

First of all, do the players want to start the campaign this way? If they want the challenge, and look forward to how you are going to present the environment, you can ignore most of the major challenge and get to developing the adventure itself.

The latitude you provide the players really depends on how experienced they are with gaming. If they are relatively new to RPGing or do not work well together, you probably want to be fairly flexible and place the PCs in positions where they have weapons readily available. Examples are perhaps a chain-gang type of approach, working on a road bed or being held in a prison mine. Other options that provide a relatively flexible escape opportunity would be a prisoner transfer from an outer holding point to a major stronghold (this also provides a bit of a deadline, as there is an incentive to escape before reaching Alcatraz).

The prison complex and the guard's experience and discipline should also be a reflection on where the players are located. A complex that rarely has prisoners may have inexperienced guards who, although they are vigilant because they almost never have prisoners, may not know what to watch for or may make mistakes the players can capitalize on.

A larger prison, with a well-trained garrison of guards, will be much more difficult to mount a large escape from.

 

[rogueboy]

To answer your questions, I'd really need to know more about your players (and a little about the campaign direction--both the feel of the campaign and the objective).

*cue nervous laughter*... Yeah... about needing to know more about my players... I'd like that too ;p. *cue comments about the insanity of trying to plan a campaign, let alone an adventure, without knowing your players* Bottom line: I don't have players lined up yet, aside from one who I'd like to have (who I'd classify as a storyteller-type player).

The old prison escape is a tried-and-true means of starting a campaign. It solves a lot of problems for the Gamemaster, such as providing a reason for a party of strangers to work together. But you will also face two main challenges: overcoming the cliche and preventing the players from feeling railroaded. Ensure you are at least aware of these issues.

First of all, do the players want to start the campaign this way? If they want the challenge, and look forward to how you are going to present the environment, you can ignore most of the major challenge and get to developing the adventure itself.

The player I mentioned earlier (the only 'confirmed' player I have atm) was at least reasonably interested in this, at least in comparison to some form of in media res attempt.

The latitude you provide the players really depends on how experienced they are with gaming. If they are relatively new to RPGing or do not work well together, you probably want to be fairly flexible and place the PCs in positions where they have weapons readily available. Examples are perhaps a chain-gang type of approach, working on a road bed or being held in a prison mine. Other options that provide a relatively flexible escape opportunity would be a prisoner transfer from an outer holding point to a major stronghold (this also provides a bit of a deadline, as there is an incentive to escape before reaching Alcatraz).

Most of the players I'm likely to have are fairly experienced and willing to work as a team, though I do have one friend who doesn't work well in a team, although I'm still considering him (long story).

The prison complex and the guard's experience and discipline should also be a reflection on where the players are located. A complex that rarely has prisoners may have inexperienced guards who, although they are vigilant because they almost never have prisoners, may not know what to watch for or may make mistakes the players can capitalize on.

A larger prison, with a well-trained garrison of guards, will be much more difficult to mount a large escape from.

Good things to keep in mind, thank you. I honestly hadn't really considered that, and I'm starting to think I may need to rework my initial thoughts for the map (I was thinking underground, but that may make it too hard to get out or make it really unbelievable - why would an underground prison have a surface exit that wasn't guarded?).

 

[Cecil Solomon]

Starting a campaign with new players is always a challenge. In this case, I recommend giving yourself as much flexibility as possible. It may be more work, but you might want to consider the following:

Have a prison brawl, with the guards looking on. There's no real danger of the PCs getting seriously hurt (the guards will stop things before it gets to that point), but it will give you a chance to work through a combat or two with the players, so that you both become a little accustomed to how a combat runs.

Have the PCs incarcerated in the cell below ground, as you initially designed, but selected characters are brought to the surface at times to labor. They can carry water, building supplies, or work the fields--if they do not work, they do not eat. This allows the PCs the opportunity to scout the area, and perhaps gather material that will help them escape. (the downside is that you may have to prepare a larger area)

Put guards in place. Part of the challenge could be to distract the guards. Perhaps the other prisoners could be coerced into helping.

Keep in mind that there are numerous "power players" in this situation. The other prisoners will have a leader. If the prison is large enough, there may be factions amongst the prisoners. Obviously, there will also be guards. There should be a way to interact with them (not all should be total jerks). How easy are the guards bribed?

Can the PCs communicate with anyone outside the prison? This can be a source of help.