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<blockquote data-quote="Greatwyrm" data-source="post: 142499" data-attributes="member: 479">Here's an option if you can get the captured guys to play along.Get the NPC to help the free PCs mount a rescue attempt.&nbsp; They invade the evil guy's stronghold.&nbsp; The captured PCs have, in fact, been mentally dominated somehow, but the rescuers don't know it.&nbsp; They battle past some seemingly appropriate resistance to the holding cells.&nbsp; They free and re-equip their buddies.The captured guys tell the rescue team that they expect a guard change soon.&nbsp; They can avoid the guards and get to the bad guy by taking a secret passage down the hall.&nbsp; One of the captured PCs &quot;saw the bad guy using it&quot; when they thought the PC was still unconscious from the abduction.Everyone hopefully goes through the secret tunnel.&nbsp; It leads to a trap of some sort.&nbsp; Force Cage, another cell, net trap, something nonlethal.&nbsp; The bad guy then comes in and releases the mind control so he can gloat over how the PCs led their own rescuers into a trap.&nbsp; (I know an evil overlord should never do this, but they always do.)&nbsp; You can then have the bad guy just set them free by setting up some horrible thing that will happen if they don't do as he wishes.&nbsp; (some other hostage gets killed, horrible summoning doesn't get stopped, you know the drill)Now you have the party back together and completely under player control.&nbsp; They could have learned the important details you want during the whole trip or from the bad guy's monologue.If they decide to actually fight through the guard change, let them.&nbsp; For a few rounds, the rescued fight against the rescuers.&nbsp; Then they all make their saves against attacking their friends.&nbsp; Everybody escapes together.&nbsp; They steal/interrogate/torture the info you want them to have from someone.Either way, everybody is back together and the plot moves on.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Greatwyrm, post: 142499, member: 479"] Here's an option if you can get the captured guys to play along. Get the NPC to help the free PCs mount a rescue attempt. They invade the evil guy's stronghold. The captured PCs have, in fact, been mentally dominated somehow, but the rescuers don't know it. They battle past some seemingly appropriate resistance to the holding cells. They free and re-equip their buddies. The captured guys tell the rescue team that they expect a guard change soon. They can avoid the guards and get to the bad guy by taking a secret passage down the hall. One of the captured PCs "saw the bad guy using it" when they thought the PC was still unconscious from the abduction. Everyone hopefully goes through the secret tunnel. It leads to a trap of some sort. Force Cage, another cell, net trap, something nonlethal. The bad guy then comes in and releases the mind control so he can gloat over how the PCs led their own rescuers into a trap. (I know an evil overlord should never do this, but they always do.) You can then have the bad guy just set them free by setting up some horrible thing that will happen if they don't do as he wishes. (some other hostage gets killed, horrible summoning doesn't get stopped, you know the drill) Now you have the party back together and completely under player control. They could have learned the important details you want during the whole trip or from the bad guy's monologue. If they decide to actually fight through the guard change, let them. For a few rounds, the rescued fight against the rescuers. Then they all make their saves against attacking their friends. Everybody escapes together. They steal/interrogate/torture the info you want them to have from someone. Either way, everybody is back together and the plot moves on. [/QUOTE]

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