Prisoners of War

[Tonguez]

The PCs (a special forces unit involved in a War) recently captured an enemy Scorcerer and have kept him as a prisoner of war (the Paladin wont allow him to be tortured or killed-yet).

Recently however a Truce has been declared and the enemy forces have withdrawn. A demand has now come for POW's to be released. The PCs are reluctant to do so as they know that the Scorcerer is powerful and knows the whereabouts of an artifact which could turn the tide of the war (thats why he was captured in the first place) - the Scorcerer isn't talking the the Paladin wont allow torture (and as most characters are good (one CN)) they probably will anly do it as a last resort.

Anyway - are they now obligated to release the Scorcerer POW?
On what grounds could they retain him without breking the Truce?

 

[Kahuna Burger]

the Scorcerer isn't talking the the Paladin wont allow torture (and as most characters are good (one CN)) they probably will anly do it as a last resort.

Anyway - are they now obligated to release the Scorcerer POW?
On what grounds could they retain him without breking the Truce?

Torture is pointless, it does not gather reliable info. You have magic, use it. (duh). Detect thoughts, zone of truth, command to answer truthfully, detect lies, charm, dominate person, whatever it takes. But torture is pointless unless you enjoy it.

As for release of the POW, thats for the diplomats to decide. If he's committed any real war crimes you could give it a shot, but the DM really decides if he goes back or not if you guys are special forces as opposed to rulers.

Kahuna Burger

 

[Umbran]

Anyway - are they now obligated to release the Scorcerer POW?

That depends on their relationship to the government, and how obligated they are to follow any particular order. If they are formally part of the military, they're largely obligated to follow orders. If they are esentially powerful civilians working alongside the military, things become hazier.

On what grounds could they retain him without breking the Truce?

That depends on the exact terms of the truce. One cannot find a loophole if one doesn't know the rules. The basic reason for initiating a POW exchange is either humanitarian, or because you feel the people you'll get back are more valuable than the ones you have to give up. In this latter case, there are probably few grounds upon which to retain the man.

At least, that's in the modern version. If you want to take it more in the genre sense - prisoners were typically ransomed. Each side would pay cash to get it's prisoners back. If this is the case, the best way to retain the prisoner would be to make sure the payment never gets made. You don't have to turn him over if you never recieve his ransom...

 

[Fade]

On what grounds could they retain him without breaking the Truce?

1) "Sorcerer? We don't have any captured sorcerers. What are you talking about?"

Or if they've already admitted to having him

2) "I'm sorry, he was killed while trying to escape a couple of weeks ago. The body was incinerated as per standard procedure - hygiene, you know."

Or if it is a simple ceasefire rather than an actual peace they don't have to release him at all. The war is still going after all, just they've stopped shooting for a bit.

 

[Maldur]

Ransom, It was common practice to see PoW as personal prisoners to be released on ransom.

This release all prisoners would be like asking soldiers returning from war now to all give away their car!

 

[Tonguez]

Re: Re: Prisoners of War

That depends on their relationship to the government, and how obligated they are to follow any particular order. If they are formally part of the military, they're largely obligated to follow orders. If they are esentially powerful civilians working alongside the military, things become hazier.

Yes good point the PCs are the elite guard of an independent clan within a confederation of clans (ie a tribe). They are related to the ruling Clan but not directly subject to it. As such they do have the right to oppose the decisions of the High Lord but this will have political ramifications.

Moreover the Clan Lord is an NPC controlled collectively by the PCs who act as the committee of advisors to the Lord-cum- mouthpeice

That depends on the exact terms of the truce. One cannot find a loophole if one doesn't know the rules. The basic reason for initiating a POW exchange is either humanitarian, or because you feel the people you'll get back are more valuable than the ones you have to give up. In this latter case, there are probably few grounds upon which to retain the man.

At least, that's in the modern version. If you want to take it more in the genre sense - prisoners were typically ransomed. Each side would pay cash to get it's prisoners back. If this is the case, the best way to retain the prisoner would be to make sure the payment never gets made. You don't have to turn him over if you never recieve his ransom...

Now Ransom is a great idea if it is set high enough and efforts are made to confound its delivery - we have adventure fodder for a while to come! The Scorcerer is the personal Cohort of the enemy High Lord and thus very valuable to them. In return for their surrender and withdrawal from our nation and release of all captured villages they have demanded the return of all POWs.

 

[Tonguez]

Re: Re: Prisoners of War

1) "Sorcerer? We don't have any captured sorcerers. What are you talking about?"

Or if they've already admitted to having him

Nah they already know we have him - just not quite where

2) "I'm sorry, he was killed while trying to escape a couple of weeks ago. The body was incinerated as per standard procedure - hygiene, you know."

This one will not maintain a lasting peace. Revenge is a very strong and widely accepted reason for maintaining ongoing hostilities and thus not something that can be used lightly- plus the Paladin wont like it...

Nah it looks like Ransom is going to be the one...

 

[green slime]

Hand him over.

Why worry? You've shown him you can drop in and grab him at any time. You can do it again. If needs be.

You could always use mind-affecting magic to erase his memory of past events, so he too is unaware of the location.

Or release him in order to trail him while he fetches the artifact...

 

[jasper]

if you high enough level, create a tracking device and place on him so he can't remove it.

 

[Darkness]

Gate in a pit fiend, which then uses its powers to look like the sorcerer, and hand it over to the enemy.
(Less powerful fiends/doppelgangers/whatever work as well, of course.)