Jail Time: A Case Study
Interestingly last session the party I DM faced a similar fate, the only transport planned was walking up to the courtroom (remaining inside the heavily manned justice department compound). Incidentally this was the first session that I was swapped into the DM seat. Background first.
PCs are in jail for various treason and/or conspiracy charges related to the murder city's ruler. Some of them actually did this as he was a BBEG killed in culmination of the last DM's adventure.
Unfortunately for them there had been a misunderstanding at the end of that battle that lead to the party's Wizard (incidentally my PC, karma can bring such sweet sorrow
) being attacked by another of the still standing party members who was then aided by a second treacherous PC. Party status was 1 PC unconcious, 1 dead, 3 PCs somewhere in single digit HPs, and the Wizard who had lucked out on a couple of saves with good HPs.
Viable offensive options exhasted, outnumbered 2-1, with a Rogue opponent, and with it unknown where the alleigance of the 4th high-damage melee PC was going to fall next round, the Wizzard bugged out using his single remaing spell, FF, to escape via a HALO jump down the outside of the tower. The tower was on an island in the city harbor. The party's only easy way back off was the way they arrived, a small skiff piloted by a localfisherman/smuggler. The Wizard returned to the boat and hurridly "explained" that the two of them had to leave because enemy magic had turned the rest of the party into blood crazed lunatics and if they stayed the others would kill the two of them, or worse. Our two heros then sailed off to safety under cover of darkness, plots of vengance taking shape in the Wizard's mind.
That's where the last adventure and DMing tenature ended. It wasn't planned for me to take over DMing, and I didn't even seek it out until life imposed itself on the planned DM and thwarted another possible DM. But things have a way of working out.
![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
So the Wizard, now an NPC, did what any upstanding hero would do. Ratted out the other PCs before they could figure out how to get off the island, and then framed the previous DM's brand new PC (was starting a new Sorcerer, and you know how all those arcane casters look alike
) using a few "accidental" slips of the tongue, his hat of disguse, and the fisherman/smuggler as a patsy.
So the remaining party, including corpse, was detained on the island. Their "conspiritor" and her adventuring companion (another player decided to change PCs on me last minute), obviously also guity of conspriracy by association, were shortly thereafter arrested at the Inn where they were staying. All PC gear and the contents of their various hotel rooms is seized and stowed in the clerk's office, but they were brought in Rodney King style (beat unconcious) so they don't know that. They also don't have an ally issolated from this on the outside to pull strings, and even if they did they don't have access to funds to bribe with or even hire legal representation.
Now a list of what they tried, along with my assessment of said action(s):
1) Hex-blade Curses a random guard, basically out of spite. (player's or PC's is not clear) Guard blows whistle around his neck and they give the party a padded long-pole beatdown through the bars. Sure it takes a while, but senseless torment begets senseless torment. There will be no daily ration of gruel for this cell until further notice, basically until wounded egos have time to heal. Hunger ensues.
Action Assessment: A technique straight out of "How to Win Friends and Influence People"? I think not.
2) Until here the new PCs, and their players, don't know who these strange people they are sharing the jail cell with are, or what they were arrested for. But they are in the luck because this is a relatively civil society. They are even going to get at least a formality of a trial. Even more luck, because they are destitute the crown appointed a public defender to their case who shows up to talk to them. That's where the luck runs dry as it appears he's worth every copper piece they are paying for his services. Doh! He gives a breakdown of the charges, informs them of which judge was drawn for the case (the hanging one, of course
), and wraps up with the suggestion that they plead guilty and throw themselves on the mercy of the court "because at least then he won't get hanged along side them".
Action Assessment: They had thought they had backup developed at an influencial temple, but that went sour for a couple of reasons. The first they could not forsee (it was written into the module wrap-up text of the last adventure). The second is everyone but everyone is scuttling from this mess like roaches from sunlight. Investigations of treasonous assasination tend to throw a wide net and err on the side of ensuring nobody but nobody even remotely involved gets away. This is not good, but shouldn't be surprising.
3) The party explains to the poor PD that if they go down he's coming with them because they'll confess the whole plot, a plot in which apparently the PD played a key role. The new PCs give their alibies, and directions to contact witnesses. The begin trying to smuggle stuff in through the PD.
Action Assessment: Using the limited resources on hand to bring pressure to bear on NPCs is good. Unfortunately they are having these discussions is a somewhat public place. Jail cells are often populated by people with nothing to do but listen and who are desparate enough that they'd sell their own grandmother out for any meager benefit.
4) The PD returns the next day. First the PCs get the bad news that their friend at the temple is disowning them and isn't likely to come through. At least not in any public, tracable manner. They also get the news that the two alibis they gave the PD (I let the new PCs adlib them as backstory) have turned up dead. Accidently-falling-on-their-knife-multiple-times-while-cleaning-it type dead. One of the more impish players states that in responce his PC gives a new set of Alibi names that are actually the names of people that his PC owes money to. The player is adlibing this, I laugh.
Action Assessment: Giving the DM something to laugh along with is NEVER a bad thing.
5) The PD is trying to wiggle out of the extortion grasp, but the PCs keep their heads and won't let him off the hook. They decide he needs some more errands.
Action Assessment: Never...give...up.
6) There is much brainstorming. One creative suggestion is that the druid wildshape into a Medium sized tapeworm and...well it's best left right there because, on top of the PD's ademant objections to said plan, they realized the other critical flaw. They didn't have a druid in the party.
However the cleric who forgot he wasn't a druid (he often plays one) then convinces the PD to smuggle in a painting of a skull (his deity's holy symbol is a skull) on a crumpled piece of paper.
Action Assessment: Creative is good. As long as you then think them through and cull out the really bad ideas before acting on them. No particularly dumb ideas made it past basic discusions.
6) PCs are visited by a guard who proposes a deal. The deal entails them getting free in exchange for a service rendered, but they are refused any further details on the grounds that they are in a weak barginning position. He informs them that he will return later to ask them if they accept. Oddly some of the PCs address the guard by the curious name of "Mr. Plot Hook".
Action Assessment: A bit of metagaming mixed in here? *shrug* It can happen when somewhat contrived situations occur. The DM tosses you a life preserver you grab on. However rubbing his nose in any precieved contriving is usually in bad form, and with some DMs can bring on Holy Falling Cows from the sky. However usually I'm not such a DM, and the little b@stards know and occationally abuse that fact.
7) The PD returns. I cut the cleric some DM sanctioned slack and let him consecrate it in place of the normal 3D version of a skull that is his deity's holy symbol. Bad idea? Maybe, but assessments made under fire in the field are sometimes messy. Nothing critical though. PD also was contacted about a deal. Not an offical deal, but one that is an exchange of their freedom for a service performed, and a carrot is tossed on that they "would also receive a significant financial reward". No details though. They are asked if they accept the deal. They do.
Action Assessment: Creativity rewarded. The light is at the end of the tunnel, and they're feeling confindent that it's not on enraged fire elemental.
8) They sit tight and put risky breakout plans on hold (from background knowledge they know this would be a very tough place to break out of).
Action Assessment: The party bands together to resist the temptation of a risky move made while the Calvary, two of them in fact, are in sight.
9) The guard returns to get a response on his offer. The PCs accept his deal, too!
Action Assessment: Double dealing? Double the commitment for a single payoff? Wouldn't be my choice, and not something I expected from them. I was just providing them two options, and made sure they knew about both before the accepted either. The guard was only returning since he said he would. Maybe they were worried about angering is employer? I don't know, didn't bother asking. *shrug* Time will tell how it all plays out, personally I'm very curious to know.
10) They get hauled up in front of the judge. The Hexblade player blurts out that he Curses the judge (a Swift Action). Near disaster, but i'm in a good and charitable mood. I point out that even assuming minimal security conditions the judge almost certainly would become aware of such an action, and that the PD mentioned this judge has a reputation as a hard-zzz. The player/PC reconsiders, the floor of the gallows will stay dry and clean today.
Action Assessment: That was a close one. Different day, different DM, things would have been ugly. You know, I think I'm cutting them too much slack and they are coming to rely on it. I think it might be time to encourage players to tighten up game table communication to avoid bogging down the session.
11) The prosecuter stands and gives a story to the judge about new evidence coming to light and that it appears that the PCs may have indeed been innocently shipwrecked on the island on the way to a picnic as they had said in their original statements. Strangely it's fresh news to the PCs that they gave statements, about picnics or otherwise. The prosecution will stay the charges, so the PCs are to be released without bail. But the judge orders them to say in the jurisdiction of the city state, just in case, until the stay time limit expires. Staying charges is different than dropping charges. Stayed charges can be brought back to trial if done within a limited time period, thus avoiding double jepordy. So the PCs are still on the hook. The judge grumpily askes the PD if this is OK with him. The PD is in a total state of confusion, but manages to forms the phrase "Yes, your honour".
Action Assessement: Storyline magic comes through again!
The PCs manage to pick up their gear and get out of the justice department without incident. The Traveling Gong Show is back in action.
P.S. I know I've described a very advanced legal system, but it's a plot device that gives the playing group a common understanding of what is going on. Also the city of Freeport, while despite it's pirate roots, is a relatively progresive state. So I'm taking license there.
