A level 7 necromancer has been captured by the party and is being forced to do research for them, under guard. So, he's no longer actually bound, but any attempts to cast spells would be noticed immediately. He is not physically formidable. Obviously, he wants to escape and preferably get his stuff back. He has some pretty powerful spells prepared, if only he could use them...
So, any suggestions as to what he could do? He doesn't have silent/still metamagic feats to aid in this. His spellbooks are in possession of the party - but as I said, he has some prepared.
Unless the PC guarding him has Craft (Alchemy), Knowledge (Arcane) or Spellcraft, he could prepare some mean of escape right under there nose...after all who are they to see that the free mixture is not part of the research they want him to do.
Play him smart, have him devise a plan at night and study the PC guarding them. Get some diplomacy/bribery going too.
Oh and an animated dead rat could help get the key.
You could also tell us what some of the spells he has are. Unless the guard was constantly standing at the ready and within threatening distance, then the caster can probably get a spell off. Even if they were, trying to cast defensively is an option, not against a readied attack, but being constantly ready for over a minute out of combat is unreasonable.
Unless the PCs have taken other steps, like gagging him, binding his hands, or taking away needed spell components, he'll probably be able to get a spell off. What that spell is, and whether it helps him may be another story. For instance, if he charms his guard on the first try, that's probably really going to make a difference. If he fails, that's probably about the end.
As for whether the spells he has will let him get free, find and retrieve his spell books, and then escape... that's depends on too many unknown factors. If all he can do is escape, then it's probably better if he does so. He can always disguise himself as a traveling scholar or merchant (or send a convincing ally or hire an actual merchant) and offer to trade some research for some rare books. After all, he now knows what they're investigating.
"Oh, a necromancer's spellbooks you say!? I suppose I can take those in trade, best to keep them out of the wrong hands you know..."
Of course it happens to be the research they wanted, he was doing it and he's the one who researched it, you can probably convince the players this is just an alternate opportunity for them to learn what they needed to progress the story after they botched holding the necromancer hostage (and... I suppose it is).
Familiars are very helpful for this kind of stuff. Distraction, feed him a potion, bring him a scroll, slip him a spell component pouch, etc. Another option is to have a few undead minions left over. Has he been stripped naked? A spell tattoo makes a very useful contingency. If he's int based he would probably prepare a few contingency plans
You can't prepare an action outside of combat rounds. At best the PC guard is watching and threatening. If, after several hours of 'researching,' the necromancer suddenly turns and throws a bunch of ground pepper into the face of the guard, the initiative roll determines what happens. If he turns and let's fly with a devastating spell, so much the better.
lol... there will be an opportunity(ies) to turn the research into a weapon by giving bad/incorrect advice. Perhaps crafting a cursed item?
He should have to travel a bit "on research" where he pass by graveyards and sway free undead (particularly a shadow) without having to cast. Power over Undead(Su) is Supernatural and does not provoke. Shadows have excellent stealth but issues with moving solid objects.
Remember - once he's slept studying another's spellbook allows him to memorize a spell from it into an empty slot or replace a prepared spell. There are lots of old tomes that have a spell or two hidden in them. Request them for your "research" in with other tomes.
There have to be moments when he is alone (bathroom breaks, sleeping, eating, etc), we're only talking 6 seconds. A Mon Sum 1 to 3 will prove very handy, Unseen Servant, Disguise self... it goes on and on. A few spells do not have verbal components. A bonded object allows you to cast any spell you've scribed - you don't need access to your book although it would be cleaner rule wise.
I probably should have mentioned the method of research; he is going through a load of books to find a particular piece of information (the party a. don't know the language they're written in b. don't really understand the subject matter and c. don't have time to do it themselves). Any claims that he needs to make something, personally, would be met with extreme doubt, unfortunately.
Spells prepared:
4 - enervation, black Tentacles
3 - hold person, vampiric Touch x 2
2 - acid arrow, darkvision, false life, ghoul touch, see invisibility
1 - cause fear, charm person, feather fall, mage armour, unseen servant
0 - acid splash, detect magic, light, read magic, touch of fatigue
Oh, and the special attack Grave Touch.
The party has taken his Bonded Item (ring) - which I just realised means he has to make a hard concenctration check to cast at all :/
They've managed to get a level 6 Bloodrager vampire NPC to guard him. He could try bribing her (not sure what with, though), but then, she has a lot to lose if she betrays the party. On the upside, they're alone in a carriage, so he would have a bit of time before anyone else noticed anything happening.
Necromancer @7 Command Undead DC10+3+(Cha bns), so DC 13 to 15?
verses Bloodrager 6 vamp at probably +6 to +8 on save.
Doesn't sound too probable but it is a chance.
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So - does he know why the PCs want the info? They won't kill him as he's a valuable scholar. So what's in it for the Necro?
Open the door and jump out of the carriage at a good time - like when on a bridge(especially if it's daytime). Fthr Fall should prevent falling damage.
The necromancer is Rupman Myre, one of the five keepers in Carrion Hill who released the spawn of Yog Sogoth (might have gotten the name wrong there...). The party captured him and want him to look through the books they found to find some way to banish the monster, under threat of death. They have a good reason to kill him, in that if the spawn kills him first it will become more powerful - so he can't really rely on the fact they need him.
The carriage, alas, is stationary and inside a manor at the moment. They couldn't hire a room at an inn, so went for the next best thing!
In regards to Command Undead - as it's a supernatural ability, does it not require any verbal/somatic components? If it failed, would the vampire realise what had happened?
In regards to Command Undead - as it's a supernatural ability, does it not require any verbal/somatic components? If it failed, would the vampire realise what had happened?
Nope, no components needed. But yes, the vampire would realize what happened if she made the save.
Depending on the vampire, even a failed Command Undead could be the lever necessary to get the guard out of the carriage. Vampire: "O crud, I'm one failed save away from big trouble, I need to get some live help right now! Or at least, I need to get 30+feet away." Or the vampire would just kill the necromancer, I guess, unless the vamp is convinced that the necromancer is absolutely necessary. Depending on the vampire, killing the necromancer might take a round or three, giving the necromancer a few more desperate tries with Command Undead. Initiating this depends on the personality of the necromancer--is he the gambling type?
You have a situation where one NPC (i.e. under your control) is the primary guard for another NPC. While as you have pointed out the vampire guard may have reasons to do as instructed, if left alone with the necromancer who knows what sort of convincing argument might be presented? Offers of wealth or power? Helpful research to overcome some of the vampire's known weaknesses? An offer of help against a sworn enemy of the vampire's? There's no reason to assume the necromancer can't cobble together a better offer than the party.
Another point... the players are forcing the necromancer to do research against his will. But the research involves reading a book that the players cannot read, would not understand anyway, and are too busy to try to get caught up to speed on. Unless the group has some way to confirm his findings, he could very well feed them information that would not only lead to his freedom but could lead the party into a trap.
"Based on my findings, the only way to ensure the spawn is sent back to its plane of existence is by covering everyone in your group with lantern oil, naked, under a new moon, in complete darkness, all while screaming loudly "I am naked, covered in oil, and wish to die in a fire". This sacred ritual must be performed during the Sacred Meeting of the FireArrow clan of orcs."
Clearly, your necromancer would be at least a tad less obvious.
So he has 4th level spell slots open? In other words the players cannot confirm that he doesn't have dimension door. Oh yes he will probably have a good time reading the book and giving false information to the party in the meantime
Does he use the bathroom under guard? Take a shower under guard? There are some points where you really wouldn't want to be looking straight at him or even if you were you would be 30 feet away... that would give him 6 seconds for a spell.
I could see him coming to the PCs with a smug look and informing them that he has learned that because of his link to the Spawn of Yog Sogoth, *he* is the only one who can banish it. "Only he who makes can unmake" or something like that. And further, that if they should he be killed, the Spawn will be empowered by his death. (Got to work in shades of truth there to help sell the story).
However, he goes on to tell them that he is willing to help them in exchange for his life and freedom. Maybe negotiate the terms in detail so he makes a good pretense of actually being willing to do this, but working in a way to escape within the plan.
Or perhaps he tells them he needs to confront the Spawn directly after completing a (made up) Ritual of Unmaking -- which affords him the chance of turning the tables on the PCs alongside the Spawn, or just giving the Spawn the chance to kill him and get more powerful (which maybe he is onside for, if he is a fanatic).
