[MENTION=6939]Coredump[/MENTION] I'll try to give a little more detail about my experience. Possible spoilers ahead.....
My PC had zero equipment except for undergarments. The other three PCs had a length of rope, a shard of crystal or something that could be used as a shiv, and a flawed gemstone between them.
We did not go on work details. The details were described to us as busywork like piling rocks in one place and then moving them back. It was described as something we had done during our captivity, but we didn't role play it during the session.
Ah.... that was (IMO) a big and important mistake. These 'work details' are the best way for PCs to gather intel and scrounge gear. For example, one of my players was doing scut work in the kitchen and managed to steal a fork. Back in the cave they manages to modify as improvised lock picks. Another player was doing cleaning and looking for 'anything metal'. He found the tip of a crossbow bolt. Two PCs planned a more involved scene where they tried to distract a guard and steal his key. Didn't work, but its that kind of opportunites that the work details allow.
That is when you can try and interact with the Drow, get information, find useful items, try and befriend a quaggoth...whatever. Its hard to plan a jailbreak while doing nothing but sitting in your cell.
These are the NPCs and their reactions as I remember them. I don't have my adventure notes handy, so I'll just use descriptions from memory.
That is about right.... but I think he played the other prisoners as a bit more belligerent and unhelpful than I did. They may not share personal knowledge, but they would give up info about the Drow and outpost.
We learned the general layout of the compound through description of our previous work details. Where the stalactite buildings are, the location of the web layer and the elevator and waterfall. We noticed inscriptions on the cell door and determined that the caster's spells don't work. Somehow we know there is an armory above the guard post, but I don't remember how we got that info.
Those work details would let you test if magic works outside of the cage...
We also know about how many guards there are, and about the priestesses and male leader types. We learned about the schism between the scarred male and the one who took over his place with the priestess.
Shortly after that "scar" offered us the opportunity to escape. End of session.
I was not there, and don't know the DM, so this is just conjecture...
It is the DM's job to place obstacles, and the Players/PCs job to find a solution. It sounds like your DM had already decided on what 'the' solution would be and was just working towards that. He should have been open to PCs figuring something else out.
But I would say to stick with it. This situation gives you a chance to explore new mechanics and such. The Help Action and Grapples become much more useful, for example.
