How to break into a skyscraper (Stay out Halivar)

[Ravilah]

I just wanted to pick the brains of all the other DMs out there. I thought, perhaps, that this should go into the d20 modern section, but the campaign I'm running only starts in a seemingly modern setting, but quickly turns to high fantasy.

Anyway--enough banter--my setting is one of those "real-planet-earth-mixed-with-DnD--world" things. The characters begin in a giant walled city that 2000 years ago was NEw York (outside the city, the world is straight up medieval fantasyland) . Now it's secretly run by mindflayers (of course), and the party is a small band of activists trying to break into the higher floors of a top security skyscraper. One player is a wizard, though the vast majority of the populace believes in magic about as much as we do today. The others are a psionic rouge (also a bizarre rarity) and an ex-soldier (modified fighter with guns). They are all starting at level 4.

Here's my question. What (besides guards, cameras, and security codes) are interesting blockades to the top floors? Also, how can I realistically depict high-level security (midflayer established!) that Level 4 characters could realistically overcome or bypass? I hate railroad-scripting this much, but the plot pretty much depends on them at least SEEING what's on the 64 floor (an illithid on a resperator, basicallY). I'm loathe to pull anything like "the gaurds happen to look away, then proceed to set down their guns and keycards as they take a short nap." It helps, I suppose, that the mindflayers simply have minions and thralls running things in the building; there is no major illithid presence in the skyscraper itself.

Ideas? Contributions? Detractions? Confessions?

R

 

[Angel Tarragon]

I'd reccommend that you rent Firetrap.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

post deleted by user.

 

[azmodean]

Frankly, it just doesn't seem believable that security established by cr 10+ (I'm guessing, don't have my MM on me) beings would be penetrable by lvl 4 characters.

The only exceptions I can think of is if the illithids don't have access to magic but the characters do, or if you do the "we're superior beings so we don't really need to worry about security against these lesser beasts" thing, which I personally don't like, but hey, it's your game.

Alternately you could provide them with some IDs through some other means. A patron could provide them, they could find a group of guards or workers and mug them, or they could blackmail an administrator to give them access.

So I guess what I really mean is that either an assault or sneaking approach seems unbelievable, so some cloak&dagger stuff seems to be in order. Along with some research.

 

[Tiew]

I'm going to have to agree with azmodean. Unless someone with more power helps them then they aren't going to be able to realistically get anywhere. If the adventure turns into just doing what some high power guy tells you and using things he gives you then that isn't really fun. You would have to add tension and conflict on the inter-personal level.

Maybe the parton who is helping them wants them to accomplish his goals, but they have to find a way to take the ids and such he gives them and use them to accomplish their goals.

Maybe the patron is planning on betraying them so they have to find some way to avoid that while they're poking around in the skyscraper.

Maybe they have to decide between multiple patrons who want them to do different things and each of whom may or may not be trustworthy.

Maybe the differnt patrons are asking prices from the pcs that seem far to high and the pcs have to deal with that.

Maybe the leader of their organization left them some things they could use to get partway into the tower but they have to find other people to help them once they get in. They could do this by digging up dirt and info on different powers in the skyscraper and then making a choice of which one to approach (maybe through email or something) with an offer of something in exchange for help breaching the top of the skyscraper.

You might also want to make sure there is something that they want at the top of the skyscraper so they'll be willing to go through all this stuff.

Anyway, sounds like your game could be a lot of fun. Let us know how it goes.