Plot & Logistics: Transporting a certain artifact...

[The Cardinal]

my players may soon aquire a Sphere of Annihilation (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/artifacts.htm#sphereofAnnihilation) - they already have a Talisman of the Sphere, though they don't know it yet.

Question
Since the dungeon they're currently in is on top of a mountain about 150-200 miles from the party's "homebase":
How would *you* - as the party - try to transport it home?
Is there any way to make the Sphere travel faster than the base 10 ft. per turn (without constantly rolling high)?
Any specific complications *you* - as the DM - would throw at them?


Info:
Party Level (at end of dungeon): about 9th, one arcane caster with caster level 6-7, two divine casters with caster level 9
Next small town: 30-40 miles from dungeon

 

[Mark CMG]

my players may soon aquire a Sphere of Annihilation (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/artifacts.htm#sphereofAnnihilation) - they already have a Talisman of the Sphere, though they don't know it yet.

Question
Since the dungeon they're currently in is on top of a mountain about 150-200 miles from the party's "homebase":
How would *you* - as the party - try to transport it home?

If I absolutely had to have it, I would relocate my homebase to the mountain. If they do any research, I would suggest you clue them into the talisman quickly, just to save everyone a lot of time and headaches. That's the best things you have going for speeding things up. You were wise to make sure they have one.

 

[Arkham]

There is an easy way to transport it, actually.

Lay out a portable hole on the ground, and lower the sphere into it. Then close the hole.

 

[Mark CMG]

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?"

 

[Piratecat]

Well, you aren't going to teleport with it, that's for sure. I think the portable hole solution is pretty darn clever. I can't think of a better one; I'd use this myself, unless I wanted to purposely screw the PCs.

 

[shilsen]

Question - Why exactly is the group trying to transport the Sphere? Is there any reason they can't just leave it where they found it?

 

[ThirdWizard]

I'd go straight!

The curvature of the planet is for losers without Spheres of Annihilation.

 

[Piratecat]

Question - Why exactly is the group trying to transport the Sphere? Is there any reason they can't just leave it where they found it?

The problem with this is then trying to use it against your enemies.

"Dear Mister hill giant jarl. Will you please stop by 22 Laurel Lane, on or about the afternoon of the 24th? Please brings lots of treasure and magic items that are easily sold, and wear a jerkin with a large bullseye on it. Love, the adventurers."

 

[Mark CMG]

Assuming the portable hole solution doesn't seem like it would work, and I am not convinced it is viable (and no one is trying to screw the party ), here is another, more elborate solution. Anyone who can attempt to control can stay forty feet in front of it in the direct that is intended to take the sphere. In this way, any attempt that fails mores it ten feet in the right direction and any attempt that succeeds does the same or more. A high success (let's say one-sixth of the time ) moves it an addtional five feet (or more). If you have three people doing this from a flying carpet, in shifts so that one is sleeping (or elves meditating), one is flying the carpet, and one is attempting to move the sphere, you could be moving it constantly in the direction you desire. I think this would take two or three weeks.

 

[shilsen]

The problem with this is then trying to use it against your enemies.

"Dear Mister hill giant jarl. Will you please stop by 22 Laurel Lane, on or about the afternoon of the 24th? Please brings lots of treasure and magic items that are easily sold, and wear a jerkin with a large bullseye on it. Love, the adventurers."

Oh, sure - I know that. I'm just not sure the trouble of trying to transport it home is worth the limited benefits of having a Sphere of Annihilation around. Depending on my particular PC and the given campaign situation, I'd very likely suggest just leaving it there or concealing it as well as we could and perhaps using that dungeon as a secondary base once the group could access it via teleport.

Yes, I know I'm boring