Don't let them escape! (How to lock down a city?)

[The_Universe]

Heh - a McGuffin is a general term for "the item/artifact that the plot revolves around." I'm not sure where it came from, but it gets tossed around here at ENworld relatively frequently.

I used it as a sort of joke, as the actual capabilities of the object don't matter - it's just an important thingamajig that, for whatever reason, the good guys don't want to let into the hands of the bad guys.

And the palace is pretty big - she might still be inside after a minute.

 

[Piratecat]

"Maguffin" comes from Alfred Hitchcock.

If she's outside, and she can fly, then you're pretty much out of luck. I'm hoping that palace is big enough to delay her for a bit. If not, well. . . I'm not a big fan of scry-teleport, but you need to get that maguffin back from wherever she takes it. Simply escaping the town is not necessarily going to bring her to safety.

 

[BlackMoria]

Several ideas.....

1. A spell from The Complete Book of Eldritch Might called Call of the Diamond. In brief, the target (which must be known but can be anywhere) is compelled to come to the caster by whatever means possible, if the target fails the saving throw.

2. A magic item called a Weird Stone. Don't recall what FR 3E book it is in. In brief, once activated, it negates all translocation magic (teleport and the like), all dimensional magics (plane shift, ethereal, dimensional shifting, etc) and does a few other things I don't recall (don't have my book in front of me) in a 1 mile radius. A great item to secure a large area from 'get me the hell out of here real quick' spells

3. A spell from The Complete Book of Eldritch Might and Arcana Unearth called Teleport Trace. If she teleports out, the spell locks a trace on her and a strike team can teleport after her to recover the MacGuffin and deal with her.

4. A immediate scry should show her location in the palace or a locate object should show the location of the McGuffin (and therefore her). Close on the location quickly before she gets away.

 

[PaulKemp]

I think there are versions of the old spell surelock that lock down a largish area to any sort of dimensional travel. Note that it's also possible to attach dimensional anchor to a hallow spell, although that takes too long if it isn't already in place.

PK,

I believe Dimensional Lock is the 3.5 equivalent of Surelock. Unfortunately, its area of effect is limited (I believe it is a 30' radius from the target locale). Thus, it is virtually impossible to lock down a large structure quickly.

I would suggest scrying and greater scrying, with mages who know the teleport or greater teleport spell standing at the ready. Once the target is located through the scrying lens,the mages (and those they can bring along with them) teleport to her location, nail her with a dimensional anchor (a personal version of dimensional lock to prevent any extra-dimensional getaways) and then do some spanking.

Of course, a non-detection spell on the traitor will make her more difficult to scry (and will also protect her "gear," which would include the MacGuffin), and a Screened room or location could give her a temporary safehouse. And in my book, any traitor without a ring/scroll/item of non-detection on their person (and possibly a Screened location at the ready) deserves what they get.

 

[The_Universe]

2. A magic item called a Weird Stone. Don't recall what FR 3E book it is in. In brief, once activated, it negates all translocation magic (teleport and the like), all dimensional magics (plane shift, ethereal, dimensional shifting, etc) and does a few other things I don't recall (don't have my book in front of me) in a 1 mile radius. A great item to secure a large area from 'get me the hell out of here real quick' spells

Does anyone know what book this appears in?

I believe Dimensional Lock is the 3.5 equivalent of Surelock. Unfortunately, its area of effect is limited (I believe it is a 30' radius from the target locale). Thus, it is virtually impossible to lock down a large structure quickly.

Dimensional Anchor attached to Hallow occupies a 40 foot radius, which means it would have to be cast about five thousand times to cover a square mile.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Dimensional Lock
Abjuration
Level: Clr 8, Sor/Wiz 8
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area: 20-ft.-radius emanation centered on a point in space
Duration: One day/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
You create a shimmering emerald barrier that completely blocks extradimensional travel. Forms of movement barred include astral projection, blink, dimension door, ethereal jaunt, etherealness, gate, maze, plane shift, shadow walk, teleport, and similar spell-like or psionic abilities. Once dimensional lock is in place, extradimensional travel into or out of the area is not possible.
A dimensional lock does not interfere with the movement of creatures already in ethereal or astral form when the spell is cast, nor does it block extradimensional perception or attack forms. Also, the spell does not prevent summoned creatures from disappearing at the end of a summoning spell.

 

[Zappo]

Less than a minute head start? Teleport can be cast in one round. Under these conditions, there is no way to stop her. By the time they notice, she'll already be gone. If we assume that someone can get a chance to react before she teleports, I would cast Wish or Miracle and ask for a Dimensional Anchor to take effect on the thief, wherever she is. Barring that, I can't think of anything if she can teleport. Honestly, I can't even think why she would let anyone act before teleporting.

 

[Committed Hero]

Less than a minute head start? Teleport can be cast in one round. Under these conditions, there is no way to stop her. By the time they notice, she'll already be gone. If we assume that someone can get a chance to react before she teleports, I would cast Wish or Miracle and ask for a Dimensional Anchor to take effect on the thief, wherever she is. Barring that, I can't think of anything if she can teleport. Honestly, I can't even think why she would let anyone act before teleporting.

That's what I immediately thought, unless the DM retroactively decides there was some magic in place to begin with. To be honest, it's not all that unlikely either.

McGuffin was Hitchcock's term for an item that drives the plot. It doesn't really have to have any powers or even meaning - the Maltese Falcon is probably the archetypical McGuffin - it's something to hang the characters' stories on. Most folks, even if they haven't heard the word, have nevertheless used the technique in their gaming.

 

[jmucchiello]

Horses are already out of the barn. The only way to stop her from teleporting is if the room the mcguffin was made in prevented teleporting already.

Of course you don't say how big the mcguffin is. I assume she can carry it easily given the question.

Finally, the setup is a bit weird. If all these intelligent people are standing around waiting for the head guy to come out and he doesn't. Why do all of them run in after him? A good percentage of them should consider "this is a good time to steal the mcguffin, I better hang back and watch it." If you do that then you have time to intercept her before she gets to the mcguffin.

 

[The_Universe]

Of course you don't say how big the mcguffin is. I assume she can carry it easily given the question.

Let's say it's fragile and unwieldy - light enough to be carried, but a difficult shape and size to hide via sleight of hand.

Why do all of them run in after him? A good percentage of them should consider "this is a good time to steal the mcguffin, I better hang back and watch it." If you do that then you have time to intercept her before she gets to the mcguffin.

Good question. For the sake of argument, all of the people who helped create the McGuffin consider it to be a secret - and they trust each other implicitly. Our spy/thief has managed to fool the others for some time. Since there's no immediate apparent threat to anyone (except the McGuffin itself), they wouldn't necessarily be concerned about preventing its theft. Only once her (and its) absence are revealed would they become worried.

Let's say she has no innate spellcasting ability, but does have access to two scrolls of teleport, and has a high enough Use Magic Device to use them. Since the horse would be "out of the barn" if she had them with her, let's say that the scrolls are held not on her person, but hidden somewhere nearby (perhaps living quarters?) to allow for her escape, but to prevent their easy detection.