Prison with "no way out"


Homebrew and House Rules


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Ok, so I'm running a homebrew campaign and in the area of the world the PC's are in one of the things on the map is "the Wolf's Prison". The prison has a reputation of being a place from which escape is impossible run by a guild of inquisitors who serve a wolf god.

My PC's have talked a few times about doing a prison-break game and they have finally decided they want to do it. So I'll be starting it on the 3rd of Feb. Up until this point I haven't developed much for the prison as I haven't needed it. I'm looking for suggestions to help put it together.

Here's what I have so far;

-The prison itself is a fortress among spires of volcanic rock. A violent storm (hurricane basically) permanently rages around the prison. Some of the towers that make up the prison are at the top of the rocks others are (magically) free floating above the raging sea.
The players will not be in the "maximum security" parts of the prison.

-The bricks used to make the prison are mixed from various minerals that make them immune to arcane spells and travel through them to the Ethreal/Astral planes is impossible.

-Because the prison is basically a domain of the Wolf god, divine spells are restricted to those granted by the wolf god.

-Guards will be higher level inquisitors and clerics. However these NPC's do not interact with cell blocks except in case of emergency (ie. riot, escape)

-Bloody skeletons are used to take care of prisoners. (Minor intelligence bestowed on them.)

-Cell blocks are monitored by mirrors enchanted with clairvoyance as "security cameras".

-Food and drink for prisoners is created by clerics of the Wolf God then brought to prisoners by skeletons.

Lastly players will be 5th level with access to Core, Advanced Player's, Ultimate Combat/Magic and Advanced Class books.

I will add details as I think of them.


Panguinslayer7 wrote:

Ok, so I'm running a homebrew campaign and in the area of the world the PC's are in one of the things on the map is "the Wolf's Prison". The prison has a reputation of being a place from which escape is impossible run by a guild of inquisitors who serve a wolf god.

My PC's have talked a few times about doing a prison-break game and they have finally decided they want to do it. So I'll be starting it on the 3rd of Feb. Up until this point I haven't developed much for the prison as I haven't needed it. I'm looking for suggestions to help put it together.

Here's what I have so far;

-The prison itself is a fortress among spires of volcanic rock. A violent storm (hurricane basically) permanently rages around the prison. Some of the towers that make up the prison are at the top of the rocks others are (magically) free floating above the raging sea.
The players will not be in the "maximum security" parts of the prison.

-The bricks used to make the prison are mixed from various minerals that make them immune to arcane spells and travel through them to the Ethreal/Astral planes is impossible.

-Because the prison is basically a domain of the Wolf god, divine spells are restricted to those granted by the wolf god.

-Guards will be higher level inquisitors and clerics. However these NPC's do not interact with cell blocks except in case of emergency (ie. riot, escape)

-Bloody skeletons are used to take care of prisoners. (Minor intelligence bestowed on them.)

-Cell blocks are monitored by mirrors enchanted with clairvoyance as "security cameras".

-Food and drink for prisoners is created by clerics of the Wolf God then brought to prisoners by skeletons.

Lastly players will be 5th level with access to Core, Advanced Player's, Ultimate Combat/Magic and Advanced Class books.

I will add details as I think of them.

Anti-magic cells specifically for arcane casters.

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One word:

Panopticon.

Then imagine what could be done with that idea in a world where one can bind critters that never sleep, eat, excrete, or even blink to service as guards.

It'll be pretty unbreak-out-able.


I've seen this sort of system on the news, where one guard can see into all the cells, but the prisoners cannot see each other. This is for the most dangerous killers. The PCs will be in a place with iron bars instead of inner walls.


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A pine box is usually the best option.


Thanks for ideas so far.

For arcane casters I'm going to use anti-magic collars instead of cells. Require a specific wand to remove.

I like the panopticon setup, I'll look into it more once I get to mapping.

Few adjustments

-Guards are going to be bloody skeletal champions. With spiked armor enchanted to help against combat maneuvers. With viscious clubs of mercy. That way guards can have personalities, like the cruel guard or nice guard, what have you. (Also don't sleep/blink/etc..)
Maybe have access to guard only areas through zones of negative energy.

-Cauldron of Plenty (without Heroe's Feast ability) will be used to feed the inmates. I think this will be better for allowing cafeteria scenes. Also as a cauldron feeds 36 per day it gives me a number for the amount of maximum prisoners in the "wing" PC's will be in.

-Decanter of Endless water for drinking water and plumbing.

-Shackle's of Compliance will be used for anytime extensive transport is needed for prisoners.

-Dungeon rings will be used for guards/prisoners.

Still working on ideas for yard. Other inmates (such as guy who can get stuff for prisoners, old timer, the "nastiest guy" in prison, gangs/groups, etc...)


The nastiest guy in the prison is the guy with some kind of native DR or Fast Healing. When everybody has to fight with their fists, those matter a lot more. Even just a DR 5/magic could utterly stonewall the huge majority of opponents.

Probably has either natural weapons or Improved Unarmed Strike and definitely has Combat Reflexes.


A prison where the more powerful inmates are subject to a special Geas to prevent anyone inmate from leaving until they're sentience expires. Not only could you have special casters forcibly compelled not escape they'd also act as guards.


In the experimental white tower, projects like that are tried out.


For the "nastiest guy in the yard" I am actually thinking a bugbear with class levels.

I like the Geas idea, maybe as a sort of punishment. Like before they let you out of solitary they hit you with a Geas. Or even cast Geas on the prisoner before putting them in solitary, something they can't do from the cell so they suffer the negative effects of the spell.
Which would also allow guards as the prisoner is further along in stat negs to come in with fear spells, suggestions, etc... to try and break their spirit.

The visual and thematic idea of the White Tower is great. Think I'm going to use that. Possibly have them carrying out some early "super-power augmentation" experiments. (The campaign world has reached roughly equiv. Victorian era)

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As an aside, if anybody contributing ideas wants to throw in a name & race (any from Advanced Race Guide) I'll include them as an NPC inmate. You can also include what got the character in prison if you'd like.


I have always been fond of this.


Abraham spalding wrote:
I have always been fond of this.

Which is probably part of the prison for more "high threat" prisoners. What I'm shooting for is more of a dungeon adventure/prison escape story.

Like 'Escape from Alcatraz' or 'Escape Plan'. That's the reason for the quotes around no escape. It needs to being reasonable that no one has gotten out before and deserves the reputation for being impossible (like Alcatraz) but with the possibility that PCs can in fact escape somehow.
Really trying to capture the prison break movie, but in a world with magic.

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The prisoners would likely get diseases from undead handling their food. Especially gory, bloody ones.


Cyrad wrote:
The prisoners would likely get diseases from undead handling their food. Especially gory, bloody ones.

Part of why I decided on the Cauldron of Plenty. I'm going to have the kitchen staff be prisoners over seen by a guard or two, like in 'Orange is the New Black'.


Event Idea:

Once a month they can have a "prison break" -- the wardens release them and the prisoners are free for as long as they can keep from being recaptured!

Seems like something a wolf god would approve of.

The wardens try and catch them as fast as possible and such -- it's a big religious event. Perhaps security on the actual prison is a bit less when this is on going...


Abraham spalding wrote:

Event Idea:

Once a month they can have a "prison break" -- the wardens release them and the prisoners are free for as long as they can keep from being recaptured!

Seems like something a wolf god would approve of.

The wardens try and catch them as fast as possible and such -- it's a big religious event. Perhaps security on the actual prison is a bit less when this is on going...

Nice! A maze, with traps and other dungeon fare, below the levels the prisoners normally spends their days.

Provides exercise, keeps the guards on their toes and allows the warden to access methods the inmates may use to escape. Plus, absolutely up the Wolf goods alley.

Fantastic idea.


Meh I was thinking an honest actual hunt and chase -- free release out into the surrounding wilderness.

It shows how cocky/arrogant the wardens are... and how good they are.

The longer a prisoner can evade capture the more respect they get from the wardens (as 'worthy prey').


Done with my outline for entrance into the prison. Please forgive any proper names as this is also my personal notes. Any input or questions are appreciated.

1. Entrance into the prison.
After trial inmates are stripped of all equipment, searched and given prison garb. They are kept at a standard prison until transport. They are then placed in Shackles of Compliance and transported to Fort Swan via ship with an escort of inquisitors (which includes a vampire inquisitor). They are taken to the Iron Tower at the fort, cleaned, removed of any disease or vermin, placed in collars to prevent spell casting if necessary and then teleported one at a time to the Wolf's Prison.
(The recieving chamber is the only part of each "tower" where the walls allow for such magic to pass through the walls.)

The prisoner is recieved by their second escort. Stripped and searched again. Then taken to a waiting area with a zone of silence cast on it. Once all new prisoners are at the waiting area a stone ring which seperates the entry area from the main prison is shifted all the way around the structure via gears granting acces to the only hallway between the two areas.

They are led through the hallway on one side of a yellow line. Escorted by guards on the other side of the line in single file. Guards react
with "hostility" to any prisoners who cross over this line. Once through the hallway the prisoners are at the second waiting area. The ring shifts sealing of the hallway. (Takes half an hour-ish)

They are then taken through a series of locked gates, one at a time to the main area (a panopticon) where current residents are on lock down. Guards at ready.
The cell block has 36 individual cells on four levels (A-D, 1-9) above the "yard" area. They are taken to their assigned cell, then onto the
next prisoner until all are inside. Shackles are then removed.


Abraham spalding wrote:

Meh I was thinking an honest actual hunt and chase -- free release out into the surrounding wilderness.

It shows how cocky/arrogant the wardens are... and how good they are.

The longer a prisoner can evade capture the more respect they get from the wardens (as 'worthy prey').

The surrounding wilderness is a drop into a raging ocean and weather controlled storm. Thick with reefs and dangerous rocks. Basically miles of ocean that is impossible to fly or sail in. It's been on the map of the region and talked about for too long to change.

The hunt aspect would still be a part of the hypothetical maze along with a promise that there is a way out. (Teleporter or what have you)

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Panguinslayer7 wrote:

Ok, so I'm running a homebrew campaign and in the area of the world the PC's are in one of the things on the map is "the Wolf's Prison". The prison has a reputation of being a place from which escape is impossible run by a guild of inquisitors who serve a wolf god.

You do realise that whenever you throw out "inescapable prison" in a plot line that either the heroes, or the Big Bad it was made to keep it in, are MEANT to escape? That's how plot moves forward.


LazarX wrote:
Panguinslayer7 wrote:

Ok, so I'm running a homebrew campaign and in the area of the world the PC's are in one of the things on the map is "the Wolf's Prison". The prison has a reputation of being a place from which escape is impossible run by a guild of inquisitors who serve a wolf god.

You do realise that whenever you throw out "inescapable prison" in a plot line that either the heroes, or the Big Bad it was made to keep it in, are MEANT to escape? That's how plot moves forward.

Exactly why I'm running it. I mean, that's what PCs are supposed to be right? They people who escape the "inescapable". Which is part of the challenge of designing the prison. Making it no impossible but at the same time make the players feel like they did the impossible.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Panguinslayer7 wrote:
LazarX wrote:
Panguinslayer7 wrote:

Ok, so I'm running a homebrew campaign and in the area of the world the PC's are in one of the things on the map is "the Wolf's Prison". The prison has a reputation of being a place from which escape is impossible run by a guild of inquisitors who serve a wolf god.

You do realise that whenever you throw out "inescapable prison" in a plot line that either the heroes, or the Big Bad it was made to keep it in, are MEANT to escape? That's how plot moves forward.
Exactly why I'm running it. I mean, that's what PCs are supposed to be right? They people who escape the "inescapable". Which is part of the challenge of designing the prison. Making it no impossible but at the same time make the players feel like they did the impossible.

If you're asking about how the PC's are supposed to get out, remember that there's either always a weakness that the designers did not anticipate. (such as someone flooding a guard with iron particles in Magneto's plastic prison), or someone making an inevitable mistake.


There's a topic where One Piece devil fruit are discussed.
Now devil fruit have several properties.
Random mutation: Each tree(my idea, more later) causes a different mutation. While all the fruits of a tree cause the same mutation, the seeds grow a tree with a different mutation. There is only one tree with gum gum fruit, one with elephant elephant fruit, etc.
Can't swim: The mutation fails from contact with sea water and swim skill is always zero. Another reason a fruit should be tested on inmates.
Devil Fruit? They are all offspring of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil from the garden of Eden. They were specially cursed. They are also immortal till cut down. If one is cut down, or otherwise killed violently, a new tree with that mutation may grow.

A Kimble, a prisoner who keeps insisting they are innocent(and not detectably evil, but was found guilty anyway) is a prime candidate for testing a fruit. A fruit might be left in the dungeon in a room full of hidden scrying devices.

Liberty's Edge

LazarX wrote:


If you're asking about how the PC's are supposed to get out, remember that there's either always a weakness that the designers did not anticipate. (such as someone flooding a guard with iron particles in Magneto's plastic prison), or someone making an inevitable mistake.

True in any regard. Especially when you have a prison holding people like adventures. Take witches for example. A witch has less spells than a wizard but also can have a lot of different abilities in the form of hexes. At level 1, these abilities are fairly tame but witches love working together. And that first level hex could be prehensile hair, evil eye, nails, flight, charm, slumber etc,etc. at first level, these witches are almost impossible to contain. At higher levels, they get even harder to contain, getting abilities like ice tomb, natural disaster, eternal sleep, nightmare, healing. You can make all the efforts to contain one type of prisoner and you will still mess it up, especially since adventures can some of the most coordinated and dangerous people on the planet. A good adventuring party can break out in less than a few months if they all work together. And most of these prisons that hold them are like Arkham asylum. Enough specialised security to hold the majority of gotham's super criminal population, and yet it takes one person to escape to bring the whole system into complete chaos. The general rule with adventurer prisons is not if the escape is going to happen, but when.

Liberty's Edge

Especially if the guards let animals in the prison. If they let a animal into the prison, the witch has a familiar. Witch familiars are spell books, which store the witches spells. Spells which the familiar can cast. Another set of prisoners that cannot be contained is the spiritualist or medium. The spiritualist because their phantom can be made insubstantial or ectoplasmic, making them immune to all but magic when insubstantial, resistant and capable of attacking people when ectoplasmic, and both can pass through walls. They can also exist indefinitely outside their master until returned to their masters consciousness, or sent to the astral plane. Where they can be returned back to their masters mind. If the wolf inquisitors are not prepared, they lose a prisoner and the main prison block of the cells becomes a killing field for the inquisitors.

Teleportation is two sided, the inquisitors cannot see what is going on on the other side, so the prisoners simply wait on the other side for someone bringing a prisoner in to break out in force. They need to have a return teleport rune, else they could not get their men back.

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And the half an hour for the ring to open and close is more than enough time for someone dangerous to kill the guard, keep the passage open to the prisoners escaping (cycling when necessary) and a large force to overwhelm the guards. Swords are okay, but against coordinated attacks from shivs, masses of clubs, maybe even a few chains and spells, even the best fighters cannot win against a horde. Also, some of the things, like the zone of silence, make it impossible to attack. Key word there attack. If the prisoners take it, the inquisitors lose the first prison, given that verbal magic is impossible within a zone of silence. They have numbers, resolve and (thanks to butchering the guards earlier) are now armed with actual weapons. They lose the 3rd section of the prison chain leading to problems in the whole structure. Shutting down the final link means that the prisoners can get back, the remaining prisons get crowded. The more prisoners, the greater the chance is things go to hell there, there is an escape and then you have no way to stop the tide.

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So, if a prisoner were to worship the wolf god, she could gain spells?

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Chris Mortika wrote:

So, if a prisoner were to worship the wolf god, she could gain spells?

That is a possibility, which would make it harder to keep prisoners in check, though many of the guards seem to be inquisitors of the wolf god, so most divine prisoners would be either from other religions, or would be out of the wolf gods graces(so no spells). Though it would be made difficult in the zone of silence. This is where a brawler would kill most if not all the guards, since they are monks with the deadly skill of being able to use their elbows, feet, knees, any part of their body as a lethal weapon for their brawler flurry. Shackles only will prevent movement of the arms and wrists.

A brawler who knows this can kill the guards assigned to him, undo his shackles, then free the prisoners of his block. Riot in roughly 4 rounds of combat. The way you deal with this is the lector treatment (the full body cage to prevent movement) then undo the cage after a willing to sacrifice themselves guard locks himself in the cell with the brawler, hands the door keys to the guard on the other side, then uses a different key to unlock the cage. If the brawler kills the guard, he is stuck with the rotting body and is still locked in his cell. If not, the guard can leave with the cage, and the brawler is still locked in his cell.


If you're going to use undead prison guards then they should absolutely be shadows.

Think about it - they can move through walls - even observe from within them, they never tire or need to eat or sleep, they're immune to mental control or manipulation, they can fly, see in the dark, are incredibly stealthy themselves, they're immune to all non-magical forms of attack and they deal strength damage, which is the perfect way top pacify an unruly prisoner.

There are even multiple levels of shadows including the shadow wolf...


Then there's the plant. The new prisoner who offers to help the characters, if they bring another prisoner with them. Probably a mobster or a political prisoner. I wonder if a priest who worships a concept rather than a god would be blocked from receiving spells.


Chris Mortika wrote:

So, if a prisoner were to worship the wolf god, she could gain spells?

ErisAcolyte nailed this, if they are a prisoner than the wolf god isn't granting them spells. If they were still in his favor they wouldn't be prisoners.


Wiggz wrote:

If you're going to use undead prison guards then they should absolutely be shadows.

Think about it - they can move through walls - even observe from within them, they never tire or need to eat or sleep, they're immune to mental control or manipulation, they can fly, see in the dark, are incredibly stealthy themselves, they're immune to all non-magical forms of attack and they deal strength damage, which is the perfect way top pacify an unruly prisoner.

There are even multiple levels of shadows including the shadow wolf...

I've specifically avoided incorporeal undead because for the purposes of my campaign such creatures are "physically" ethereal or astral planes depending on the nature of being. (The campaign world is 17 real years old and so the "science" of such things is firmly established)

This presents a problem as various layers of the walls cut off connection to those planes. Shadows in particular are "physically" present on the plane of shadow. You don't want people to just be able to use that plane to travel inside your prison.


ErisAcolyte-Chaos jester, you have many good points. A few things you mentioned are covered though. A witch for example would be wearing a "anti-magic" collar, so only hexes which count as (ex) would world until the collar is removed.
You did remind me I need to look at familiars and distance from caster details though. Probably need collars on familiars as well.
Animal Companions are not kept in the prison. (It's "old worldy", so a given prisoner's property is gone. Sold. You get a gold coin and clothes once released and deal with it.) Sold to a zoo, collector, etc... (Which makes possible adventure after escape.)

For clarification, the collars shut down the use of/access to; spells, spell-like abilities and any supernatural (su)ability.
Though it may not come up in this particular game, constructs and undead in collars follow the guidelines for Anti-magic Field.
The collars gain their power from the wolf god as well as various enchantments involved in the prisons construction. (So outside it's zone of influence don't function)

Finally with the guards; If I hadn't mentioned earlier in the thread. The inquisitors do not work within the areas the general population do. The guards within that area are bloody skeleton champions. Even if prisoners bring them to 0 hp, they'll be back up in an hour. The prisoners have no access to divine spells, positive energy or holy water to prevent this.
As such the level of concern for the "lives" of the guards is pretty low.

The outer ring doesn't constantly rotate. There's a switch, which is not accessed through general population area. In the event of prisoners rioting this is just left sealed. Until the inquisitors organize a group of vampires and werewolves to storm in and deal with prisoners.
Prisoners might take the guard's weapons, but clubs that only do subdual damage aren't great against what they'd be fighting.
Even then until there is a coordinated response against the prisoners, let them stew.

Granted, there are still many ways around these things. Stuff I haven't thought of course. Getting a collar off a caster, though depending on abilities may not matter (divine, spells that require spell book, summoning, dimension door/teleport, etc...).
Brawlers and other such characters will definitely have an advantage. (Though I'm surprised how little that's been talked about by players so far.)

Hopefully these factors make things challenging and force players to plan. Make mistakes. Adjust plan. But eventually surmountable. Because well... eventually the inmates escape from Arkham.

Oh!!! Last note. The other sections of prison are not connected to each other. Save by being with the wolf gods "zone/domain" where the prison is built. So losing one doesn't necessarily effect the others.


flesh to stone. From there conventional protection should be adequate regarding break-outs. Break-ins... different story.

Liberty's Edge

Panguinslayer7 wrote:

ErisAcolyte-Chaos jester, you have many good points. A few things you mentioned are covered though. A witch for example would be wearing a "anti-magic" collar, so only hexes which count as (ex) would world until the collar is removed.

You did remind me I need to look at familiars and distance from caster details though. Probably need collars on familiars as well.
Animal Companions are not kept in the prison. (It's "old worldy", so a given prisoner's property is gone. Sold. You get a gold coin and clothes once released and deal with it.) Sold to a zoo, collector, etc... (Which makes possible adventure after escape.)

For clarification, the collars shut down the use of/access to; spells, spell-like abilities and any supernatural (su)ability.
Though it may not come up in this particular game, constructs and undead in collars follow the guidelines for Anti-magic Field.
The collars gain their power from the wolf god as well as various enchantments involved in the prisons construction. (So outside it's zone of influence don't function)

Finally with the guards; If I hadn't mentioned earlier in the thread. The inquisitors do not work within the areas the general population do. The guards within that area are bloody skeleton champions. Even if prisoners bring them to 0 hp, they'll be back up in an hour. The prisoners have no access to divine spells, positive energy or holy water to prevent this.
As such the level of concern for the "lives" of the guards is pretty low.

The outer ring doesn't constantly rotate. There's a switch, which is not accessed through general population area. In the event of prisoners rioting this is just left sealed. Until the inquisitors organize a group of vampires and werewolves to storm in and deal with prisoners.
Prisoners might take the guard's weapons, but clubs that only do subdual damage aren't great against what they'd be fighting.
Even then until there is a coordinated response against the prisoners, let them stew.

Granted, there are still many ways around these...

Okay. that makes sense, though there is one good way to keep a skeleton down for good. DUST HIM. Grind it down to the point that it cannot come back, and then grind it to dust completely(just to be sure).

I never did say the outer ring constantly rotated. what is aid was it takes 30 minutes, which is still enough time to wedge the ring so it cannot shut. I imagined there would be a switch, as a door that was constantly opening and closing wound not make a very good way to keep prisoners locked up.

And i know brawlers would be good in this, since they get their unarmed attacks as potential lethal weapons, the regular brawler strike count as magical unarmed attacks at 5th, cold iron and silver
at 9th.

I would agree with making the campaign tough for the players, but DO NOT make them too weak, otherwise they will not see a potential way to win, and then they will be stuck, and you will have to change something. They can get a skeleton guards weapon or armour, great. but they will not have any magic, have no reliable way to heal themselves, have no armour AT ALL(thanks to there being NO reliable way to get it). the only class this does not affect is the brawler. And if everyone is a brawler, there is no party dynamic. the Question is CAN the sodding collars be broken/disabled. Because other wise you might have just killed the campaign before it began. The reason why Arkham could be escaped from was it was an asylum. with visitors, which these guys will never get, since the prison is extra-dimensional, run by undead cultists, and has such a system of screening as to make smuggling impossible.

Arkham has cracks because of what it ultimately was. A place to help people. The joker and most of the super criminals MADE it into a prison like structure, because of their repeated escapes.

Liberty's Edge

for adventures after the escape, You need to escape first.

Though i have got a brainwave for how the players could use the collars offensively. the skeletons are animated undead. put them in an antimagic field (like with the collar) and suddenly they just drop dead. Perminantly, since no prisoner in their right mind can or would use the animate dead spell on them, and the only other guards are skeletons. The collar continues to work inside the prison, so it would be fesable for the players to use one collar to take out several guards.

it makes sense since the collars would be priority number one for any party with a magic based abilities.

I might be wrong, but i also wonder how oracles curse interacts with the collar. would it stop because of the limiting of magic, or would it continue to exist outside of it. Spirits(like with the mediums and the Phantom of the spiritualist) are also NOT undead, since they are more echos of life and emotion than actual resurrected. That being said, the spiritualist could still not summon the spirit, since it is an SU action, and he would have the collar. Like all the magic classes.

The players Litrally start with nothing, so you might have to allow them to use the craft skill to make very simple weapons and armour(representing them trying to turn their surroundings into semi-viable weapons and armour.)

It would still be very hard, since there is not much the can use save bone, or small amounts of hard material like iron and stone, bits of leather and string. Enough to maybe make some simple light weapons. Not much but, given their situation, at least something. until they can get their collars off.


ErisAcolyte-Chaos jester wrote:


I never did say the outer ring constantly rotated. what is aid was it takes 30 minutes, which is still enough time to wedge the ring so it cannot shut.

The difficulty they will have in wedging the ring is it's sheer size and weight. Because of it's mass it will likely break most things they may try to use to jam it. (Though if somehow they find a way to it's gears they could shut it down or control it.)

ErisAcolyte-Chaos jester wrote:


The reason why Arkham could be escaped from was it was an asylum. with visitors, which these guys will never get, since the prison is extra-dimensional, run by undead cultists, and has such a system of screening as to make smuggling impossible.

Which is part of why I choice skeletal champions as the guards. Being intelligent that allows for individual personalities and possibly using one of them as a way to smuggle stuff in. I already have ideas for the guard who is the cruel prick and at least one guy who can be bribed.

ErisAcolyte-Chaos jester wrote:


I might be wrong, but i also wonder how oracles curse interacts with the collar. would it stop because of the limiting of magic, or would it continue to exist outside of it. Spirits(like with the mediums and the Phantom of the spiritualist) are also NOT undead, since they are more echos of life and emotion than actual resurrected.

As with the shadow thing, I have run since 2nd ed that all spectral undead and unquiet spirits (ie. haunts, or oracle curse) "physically exist" on the Ethreal or Astral. But the teleportation room would allow those haunting an oracle to "ride" the individual into the prison. Since that initial room has to allow for interdimensional magicks for teleportation to work. (Even have plans for a ghost trapped in the prison's walls.)

ErisAcolyte-Chaos jester wrote:


The players Litrally start with nothing, so you might have to allow them to use the craft skill to make very simple weapons and armour(representing them trying to turn their surroundings into semi-viable weapons and armour.)

It would still be very hard, since there is not much the can use save bone, or small amounts of hard material like iron and stone, bits of leather and string. Enough to maybe make some simple light weapons. Not much but, given their situation, at least something. until they can get their collars off.

I'm actually very excited about people trying to make shivs and such. I've still yet to decide what "jobs" might be given to prisoners other than cafeteria, cleaning and laundry. License plates isn't a thing and I've yet to think of something that would be cost effective to produce within the prison. They will have things like tooth brushes and requirements to keep shaved and groomed.

There's a really good part at the beginning of 'Escape from Alcatraz' that I'm using as my guideline for this. The warden gives Clint Eastwood a run down.

Plus it helps that as the prison goes, this tower is for individuals deemed low flight risk. So things like Flesh to Stone or unique cells don't come into play. (Which lowers cost and really, those high level casters have better things to do than work a prison.)


Oh and first session will be tomorrow night. Won't likely be too deep into things as some players still need to do characters, but probably introduction at least.

So as such, to all who've helped with suggestions and thoughts, if you like I could use some people to fill in the other cells.

As such, just give me a name, race, brief personality/appearance (like a sentence or so) and a few major crimes.
for example one of the players has murder, smuggling, blackmail, treason, arson and others. (Used the crime table in Ultimate campaign based on the number each player has gotten for determining alignment in the background section. Their conflict is the straw that got them in the Wolf's Prison.)

Each NPC is going to have something they've gotten into their cell or around the prison somehow that will have actual user name. I plan to give some kind of bonus for finding them all.
This video game-esque side quest as gone over well in the past, so I like to sneak them in there. Plus I like crediting people when I get ideas from them.


Rogues are obviously useful. They are the ones that can get the collars off.
Now think about the mechanics of sorcerers. Becoming a sorcerer activates their latent mutations, as in their bloodline. While the abberant's acid ray might be blocked, their resistances might not. Does anti magic field stop a dragons fire? Some bloodlines give that.
If you go with my growing list of leveled mutations, there's a lot of them that the collars won't mess with. A giant who was stealing, and eating, livestock will be in the dungeon under the prison. A party member might be talking to him via an airvent.

Grand Lodge

You could make the entirety of the campaign the prison break, I know that casters might hate it but it will allow classes that seem under powered to feel the lime light.

Casters would just have to go with more subtle magicks and make it seem like they are still powerless, if they could get someone to reprogram the collars to seem like they are still powered but not it would be interesting.

There is already enough to keep them from just teleporting out and the more they learn of the prison the more they will avoid large shows of magic. You said they can basically lock of the singular entrance and wait till the wardens have enough forces (vampires and lycanthropes and such) to quell any uprising.

It is almost a subtly campaign but forces a player to think way outside the box on the normal ways they build a character.

As someone else said, a brawler or monk would be your best melee combatants as they are less melee weapon dependent but they would also be the ones the wardens would have bound up really well. You could do belts with the cuffs bound to them and their feet would be bound with just enough chain or whatever to allow them very short steps.

Also for a criminal, not to sure how many of your players are fathers to little girls. Eugene is a swauve talker, thief who got a kings daughter to fall in love with him, he spent thousands of gold building himself a little cottage on the lake, only for the king to find out and throw him in chains.

Liberty's Edge

Another thing is whether the collar can be removed by normal means(disable device) or if it requires some kind of magical key. maybe the other prisoners might be willing to help you remove the collar, or disable it for small periods of time, for getting off a spell that might help you defeat the guards.

Naturally this will not come cheap, especially with the more corrupt prisoners, and the guards will more than likely have a freak-out if someone starts casting spells inside. Likely resulting in solitary, magic restricting quarters, before you get a replacement collar. Rule one to getting out of prison: don't do anything suspicious(at least until, you have all the pieces put together to spring the escape). the guards will take notice and you will be put in solitary, if not beaten, tortured or killed.

As for the sorcerer's mutations, if they are SU's or spell-likes then you might be out of luck. the collar supresses magic and supernatural abilities-so you are kind of stuck with whatever the gods gave you that they cannot take off. like wings or tails, and even those can be taken off if you start to push the guards enough. If your unlucky, they might even ENJOY it.


ErisAcolyte-Chaos jester wrote:
Another thing is whether the collar can be removed by normal means(disable device) or if it requires some kind of magical key.

The collars are dwarven made steel. There are wands for removing them. I'm debating whether or not they should have lock (superior, maybe with Arcane Lock) to make them easier to remove with the wand.

ErisAcolyte-Chaos jester wrote:


As for the sorcerer's mutations, if they are SU's or spell-likes then you might be out of luck. the collar supresses magic and supernatural abilities-so you are kind of stuck with whatever the gods gave you that they cannot take off. like wings or tails, and even those can be taken off if you start to push the guards enough. If your unlucky, they might even ENJOY it.

The really mean guard has a few lackeys, and they would enjoy it very much.


General idea of how I'm picturing the prison cells.

Only four levels like that stacked on top of each other. This is the only one I found that had close to the number of cells I'm thinking per level.

Sczarni

@op

Didn't read anything besides first post, but in general, if you are aiming to create prison from which you can't escape, for higher levels simply create a single room deep below earth. Access to it is only available through teleportation or earth gliding, but these can be blocked fairly easily by other effects. There is a problem about delivering food and air, but in general, single room without doors or windows is best type of prison. You could in fact leave several spells out on purpose. Teleportation might be possible for example, but it's 1:100 chance that you will teleport on survivable location. Prison could be notorious about such escapes.


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I'm not sure how to model this in PF rules, but I once read a fantasy book with an interesting magic circle. The magic circle was enchanted to hold in a powerful sorcerer. Rather than trap the sorcerer with a magic forcefield, it rather enchanted the sorcerer so that the sorcerer didn't WANT to leave the circle. The circle was further enchanted so that the trapped sorcerer didn't want to think about the circle, or about ways to escape from the circle.

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