what makes for a great prison break?
- Thread starter DeadDM
- Start date
Define low level are we talking level 1-2 or 5-6ish? Do we have a typical party build of wizard/fighter/thief/cleric or smething different? Are we talking new players or experienced ones? Are their offlimits areas e.g. do you want to avoid "mature themes" or is it throw anything at them time? Why are they in jail in the first place? Are they not in jail but getting someone out? All these things can affect the way a game runs and what you want to include.
Some examples include . . .
1) A cleric could be facing heresy charges just getting out isn't enough if they don't gather proof of their innocence they'll be excomunicated from their order.
2) A mage could be constrained in the anti-magic area of the prison and if they destroy the orb that creates that rather than just getting her out then they releas other horrors that really should have been locked up.
3) If they are more experienced through other "innocents" in their way some of whom are genuinely innocent while others are just looking to get out to continue their crimes, smart ones don't take on the tough experienced adventurers but crop up later in a situation that makes it clear to the party they for example released a serial killer who's been targeting children ever since.
4) They stumble across a torture room perhaps with a victim still in it if the clerics not high enough level to heal him say he needs regeneration, heal or some other high level spell and they have to decide between putting him out of his misery, leaving him to suffer, or taking along someone who slows them down. You can make it quite clear his injuries will do that by limiting his movement/making him groan/bleed more if they try to carry him too fast.
5) If they aren't familiar with the prison lay out give them a time limit. You've escaped but the guards will notice you in X minutes and you have to be clear by then. There are the areas you were contained in low security cells, route to the entrance and you can retake that route if you remember it BUT that will take you through too many guards to slip round. If you take the alterate route you have to find an exit/exit plan before the guards notice and seal the prison.
6) Then you have the different areas a prisoner can wind up in. The low security area a series of progressively higher levels with group cells containing the prisoners, the high security area (extremely dangerous criminals who can present a challenge especially to poorly/lightly armed party members) which contain individual cells on a single level, the mage containment area which has anti-magic protections preventing them using their spells, the interogation/torture room, the guards break room, the showers/toilet area if allowed and they aren't required to go in their own cells, the armory containing the guards equipment + that taken off inmates, the oubliettes where the worst criminals are sealed in to die and be forgotten, possibly the non-humanoid containment area for creatures that aren't your basic elves/dwarves/men. All clearly marked perhaps but if you don't know the layout your looking at a lot of doubling back and forth in narrow corridors.
Some examples include . . .
1) A cleric could be facing heresy charges just getting out isn't enough if they don't gather proof of their innocence they'll be excomunicated from their order.
2) A mage could be constrained in the anti-magic area of the prison and if they destroy the orb that creates that rather than just getting her out then they releas other horrors that really should have been locked up.
3) If they are more experienced through other "innocents" in their way some of whom are genuinely innocent while others are just looking to get out to continue their crimes, smart ones don't take on the tough experienced adventurers but crop up later in a situation that makes it clear to the party they for example released a serial killer who's been targeting children ever since.
4) They stumble across a torture room perhaps with a victim still in it if the clerics not high enough level to heal him say he needs regeneration, heal or some other high level spell and they have to decide between putting him out of his misery, leaving him to suffer, or taking along someone who slows them down. You can make it quite clear his injuries will do that by limiting his movement/making him groan/bleed more if they try to carry him too fast.
5) If they aren't familiar with the prison lay out give them a time limit. You've escaped but the guards will notice you in X minutes and you have to be clear by then. There are the areas you were contained in low security cells, route to the entrance and you can retake that route if you remember it BUT that will take you through too many guards to slip round. If you take the alterate route you have to find an exit/exit plan before the guards notice and seal the prison.
6) Then you have the different areas a prisoner can wind up in. The low security area a series of progressively higher levels with group cells containing the prisoners, the high security area (extremely dangerous criminals who can present a challenge especially to poorly/lightly armed party members) which contain individual cells on a single level, the mage containment area which has anti-magic protections preventing them using their spells, the interogation/torture room, the guards break room, the showers/toilet area if allowed and they aren't required to go in their own cells, the armory containing the guards equipment + that taken off inmates, the oubliettes where the worst criminals are sealed in to die and be forgotten, possibly the non-humanoid containment area for creatures that aren't your basic elves/dwarves/men. All clearly marked perhaps but if you don't know the layout your looking at a lot of doubling back and forth in narrow corridors.
DeadDM
First Post
The party are all first level super modified multiclassed characters. They've all played before. All are Dragonmarked Fighters/sorceres with several swapped out class features.
They are on an alter reality of Eberron where demons have taken over the world and left fiendish orcs to occupy the land. All Dragonmarked races have been killed or are in hiding. The only way to fix this alter eberron is to find three magic time devices located on 3 seperate planes.
Initially, they've been captured cause they bear dragon marks and are set to see the high captain demon in the morning.
-the need to find a key or the way the open the main exit.
-they need to sneak through the halls and avoid patrols, maybe even killing a few with bare hands.
-they need to assasinated a room of sleeping guards
-they need to rescue a person from excecution who knows where the key is (he doens't really know where it is)
-some prisoners may wish to be freed and then attack the party
-other prisoners are innocent and should be freed
-theres a hidden treasure stash
-special NPC prisoner to rescue
this is what I go so far. The last poster had some stuff too that I will use.
What else could be said for prison breaks?
They are on an alter reality of Eberron where demons have taken over the world and left fiendish orcs to occupy the land. All Dragonmarked races have been killed or are in hiding. The only way to fix this alter eberron is to find three magic time devices located on 3 seperate planes.
Initially, they've been captured cause they bear dragon marks and are set to see the high captain demon in the morning.
-the need to find a key or the way the open the main exit.
-they need to sneak through the halls and avoid patrols, maybe even killing a few with bare hands.
-they need to assasinated a room of sleeping guards
-they need to rescue a person from excecution who knows where the key is (he doens't really know where it is)
-some prisoners may wish to be freed and then attack the party
-other prisoners are innocent and should be freed
-theres a hidden treasure stash
-special NPC prisoner to rescue
this is what I go so far. The last poster had some stuff too that I will use.
What else could be said for prison breaks?
thedearhunter
First Post
i would say that inciting or entering a riot can be really cool. It can give a chaos to encounters, or be the last step in the process in a prison break, drawing guards off, opening gates, etc.
Gilladian
Adventurer
They need to have some people to protect. Either some prisoners who are weaker than they are who are important to them (children?) or some guard (s) who did something kind for them while they were imprisoned.
They need some resources to gather. Maybe they're starving and must choose between getting food or getting weapons first. Or they can either go after an ally for help escaping, or a guard/bullying prisoner for revenge, but not both.
There need to be some important decisions to make. Do they risk going down an ancient secret passage they find, or do they instead try to escape via the main exit in disguise? Which is safer? Which one helps others escape?
Do they really want anyone else to escape? How about the insane serial killer in the next cell over who threatens to reveal their absence to the first passing guard if they don't take him along? Or the wizard who assures them he's not a devil worshipper, but has very dubious tattoos all over him?
All sorts of fun is possible here!
They need some resources to gather. Maybe they're starving and must choose between getting food or getting weapons first. Or they can either go after an ally for help escaping, or a guard/bullying prisoner for revenge, but not both.
There need to be some important decisions to make. Do they risk going down an ancient secret passage they find, or do they instead try to escape via the main exit in disguise? Which is safer? Which one helps others escape?
Do they really want anyone else to escape? How about the insane serial killer in the next cell over who threatens to reveal their absence to the first passing guard if they don't take him along? Or the wizard who assures them he's not a devil worshipper, but has very dubious tattoos all over him?
All sorts of fun is possible here!
aco175
Legend
Adding to an earlier reply, you can have them down a few healing surges to represent starvation or beatings. Give them a choice for some food and water to get one or two back. Most groups would want to get some sort of weapon first. Allow for some simple weapons first. Give them a check on history or dungeoneering to make some sort of weapon- a shovel handle is a staff, a iron bar is a club, a dagger can be made from a shovel blade. I may give a reduction on damage to give the training bonus to these simple weapons.
kitsune9
Adventurer
1. Prisoners know there is a sewer / deathtrap guantlet that if they sneak past the guards, they got to get past it without supplies, tools, or magical ability.
2. The PC's manage to dig through the floor / wall and enter an area in which they must carefully sneak around to get out.
3. The PC's immediate goal is to kill a guard and get to the armory so they can disguise themselves as guards to get out.
4. The PC's start a prison riot which creates a diversion so they can get to another area of the prison that isn't likely to be as guarded in their effort to get out.
5. The prison itself has no guards, but gates that only work one way. The PC's find that the prison is an open dungeon filled with other prisoners and less savory things here. Escaping involves survival too.
Celebrim
Legend
Is this going to be one of those prisons where the magistrates inexplicably spend millions of gold peices on constructing elaborate defenses that are easily breached by the application of low level magic and skills readily available to even the lowest level characters, and which employ gaurds that don't have the slightest suspicion that the PC's might escape or do them harm despite working as prison gaurds and having absolutely no reason to trust or like the PC's?
If not, then I suggest all of the following:
a) An excuse for the PC's to be transfered to some low security area where they have some reasonable freedom of action and few obstacles to overcome - a work program, for example.
b) An oppurtunity to befriend the guards, and/or gaurds which are corruptible and have readily exploitable vices.
c) One or more allies within the prison who have skills the PC's lack but which will need, who befriend the PC's because of some skill or ability they lack (such as a strong back).
If not, then I suggest all of the following:
a) An excuse for the PC's to be transfered to some low security area where they have some reasonable freedom of action and few obstacles to overcome - a work program, for example.
b) An oppurtunity to befriend the guards, and/or gaurds which are corruptible and have readily exploitable vices.
c) One or more allies within the prison who have skills the PC's lack but which will need, who befriend the PC's because of some skill or ability they lack (such as a strong back).
Starman
Adventurer
Maybe it's a government program?
How about a memorable bad guy. One that comes to the cells to taunt the PCs about the futility of their situation, and how things are going to get much, much worse. Real mean, heartless, bullying type. Shawshank Redemption, Cool Hand Luke type.
It's so much easier to root for the good guys once you've revealed the character of the bad guy. Pre-prison break is an ideal opportunity for the kind of justifiable gloating, boasting and general unpleasantness.
It's so much easier to root for the good guys once you've revealed the character of the bad guy. Pre-prison break is an ideal opportunity for the kind of justifiable gloating, boasting and general unpleasantness.
