Plot & Logistics: Transporting a certain artifact...

[Arkham]

I think objects can shift around while inside a portable hole. If you open it onto a ceiling, stuff can fall out of it. While it is a space, it would seem to be not unlike a extrademinsional sack. No problem for most types of objects but if the sphere touchs the side of the inside of a portable hole, I think it would be destroyed. I guess the question would be, "Does an object placed in a specific spot in a portable hole maintain its location within that hole until the hole is reopened?"

Well, Portable Holes don't have the issues that Bags of Holding do with things poking through their sides, never really having the insides described at all, in fact.
And while items in a hole would fall out if its opened upside down, that's be cause they obey the laws of gravity. The sphere of annihilation remains in a static location unless acted upon by an intelligence, so unless there is something or someone in the portable hole _with_ the sphere, I don't see why it would move around.

And for even more fun, those carrying around the portable hole with a sphere in it have to worry even more about ending up in a bag of holding, since not only will the usual collapse and nastyness happen, but I, at least, would rule that the gate opened counts as casting a gate on the sphere itself and cause all kinds of other destruction.

 

[Twowolves]

Or they could just.... drop it to the bottom of the sea and wait to see what happens...

 

[Michael Silverbane]

I can just see the kids in any towns that they happen to pass through, "I dare you to stick your tongue on it!" Hee hee!

Later
silver

 

[Merkuri]

Heh, I don't think the rules support it in any way, but I can just imagine a party sinking the sphere into the ground and going about their business. The next time a bad guy starts screwing with them, the party member with the talisman smiles evily and the sphere bursts from the earth!

 

[Mark CMG]

Or they could just.... drop it to the bottom of the sea and wait to see what happens...

Leading one fisherman to understate, "That's one thirsty hole."

 

[paradox42]

Age of Worms spoiler
[sblock]
The last adventure, Dawn of a New Age, allows the party to potentially get its collective metaphorical hands on a Sphere, and the POrtable Hole idea is specifically mentioned in the adventure as a means of transporting it where it needs to go.

I know JollyDoc's group actually used this method to transport the Sphere around and use it; it's near the end of their Story Hour thread for Age of Worms.
[/sblock]
/Age of Worms spoiler

As a DM, I would rule that the inside of a Portable Hole has its own gravity field distinct from the outside world, until the Hole is actually opened (in which case the gravity fields "synch up." Thus, the Sphere-in-Hole trick would work in my game.

But then, I'm not Mark.

 

[Mark CMG]

As a DM, I would rule that the inside of a Portable Hole has its own gravity field distinct from the outside world, until the Hole is actually opened (in which case the gravity fields "synch up." Thus, the Sphere-in-Hole trick would work in my game.

But then, I'm not Mark.

No, no. While the PC argument of, "I think the portable hole solution is pretty darn clever" didn't influence me , you and Arkham brought me around. If I had either of you as players and you expressed that side of things, I would not hesitate to allow such a scheme. And it's just the sort of bauble to round out the decor of any respectable headquarters.


"Can I grab a beer?"

"Sure. They're in the fridge, right behind that sphere."

 

[Twowolves]

Why is the gravity in a Portable Hole even an issue? Aren't the Spheres kinda immune to gravity? The only way it can move is by willing it, not by dropping it.

 

[The Cardinal]

Cool, I really like the portable hole solution - especially since they'd have to get one first, thus giving me the reason for their next adventure!
However, while the rules say that it's not a good idea to use a "Gate" spell on the Sphere, I cannot find anything prohibiting a Teleport spell to be used. Sure, their wizard would have to use a scroll (with a caster level above his own) for this, but why this

Well, you aren't going to teleport with it, that's for sure.

?

 

[ThirdWizard]

Cool, I really like the portable hole solution - especially since they'd have to get one first, thus giving me the reason for their next adventure!
However, while the rules say that it's not a good idea to use a "Gate" spell on the Sphere, I cannot find anything prohibiting a Teleport spell to be used. Sure, their wizard would have to use a scroll (with a caster level above his own) for this, but why this
?

I imagine it has something to do with having to touch the Sphere to teleport it.