| Ignatius Metamorphic |
I'm designing an adventure and I'm looking for ideas on how a 5th level wizard could protect their home.
For the purposes of this discussion, let's assume a small two story cottage with a basement. Let's assume the wizard has put aside 2,500 gp for protecting his cottage. He can cast spells himself, buy scrolls, or hire other spellcasters to cast spells.
Or, he could just buy a realy big dog.
What ideas do people have?
| Lanathar |
Check out the old 3.5 adventure called "Something's Cooking". It can be found online by simply searching for the name and 3.5.
I ran this adventure and it was probably my most fun experience ever in DnD/Pathfinder.
The wizard there has animated objects, a fire elemental (in the cooker) and a golem made out of pastry (or something like that)
Was very fun and could be adapted.
| Kevin Andrew Murphy Contributor |
At 5th level, the wizard doesn't have much to protect aside from his spellbook and maybe a couple magic items.
What he needs is a good safe that is also lead-lined so it's detection proof. He needs to put this somewhere where lead won't look out of place in case someone tries to detect that. I'd suggest a built-in china cupboard with a lot of pewter dishes. Don't have Arcane Lock on the secret door as that's a red flag for thieves with any detection ability. Instead, make the unlocking mechanism something that can only be easily manipulated by Mage Hand, the catches far inside cracks.
He also needs to put out a dummy spellbook that would ideally be an old traveling spellbook of his. Chain it to a desk that's bolted down, and put a few other books with it that you've cast Secret Page on with the secret pages leading to Explosive Runes for whoever decodes the password. Put Arcane Mark and Arcane Lock on all the books for good measure.
If you're going traveling and are going to be leaving your great book and assorted valuables unguarded except by your safe, invest in a bottle of Sovereign Glue and a flask of Universal Solvent. Gum up the works of your safe with the Sovereign Glue before you leave. Unstick it with the Universal Solvent when you get back. Short of someone taking the china cupboard and the wall with it, they're not getting your stuff.
| estergum |
At 5th level, the wizard doesn't have much to protect aside from his spellbook and maybe a couple magic items.
Where is the wizard, who's the threat and what the state of mind.
In a city or a village or out in the whops?
Are thieves out for the family silver, is it another mage or the local mafia?
How much paranoia is involved, it pays to be careful or is every out to get me?
| Ignatius Metamorphic |
Kevin Andrew Murphy wrote:At 5th level, the wizard doesn't have much to protect aside from his spellbook and maybe a couple magic items.
Where is the wizard, who's the threat and what the state of mind.
In a city or a village or out in the whops?
Are thieves out for the family silver, is it another mage or the local mafia?
How much paranoia is involved, it pays to be careful or is every out to get me?
Good questions.
He is in a city. He's not paranoid, but he does have thousands of gold pieces invested in magic items. It pays to be careful.
| Firest |
Hire someone to check up on the place every few days, something like a cleaning lady or just someone to feed the dog. Become friendly with the local watch, offer them magic services at a discount. And get your party's thief to create some non-lethal traps.
If you are willing to go without him, leave your familiar at home to look after things.
| Selgard |
If he is solely looking to protect his spellbook he can have a basement under his basement that is accessible only through Gaseous Form. This "sub basement" could have his master spellbook and such. make the "small tunnel" to access it, lead from the house not from the primary basement. (small crack behind the oven or behind a bookcase would be very difficult to find but relatively easy to access while in gaseous form).
Bad part: this means casting the spell twice to fetch his spell book which means all or 2/3 of his max spell level for the day.
-S
M P 433
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Wallpaper the room with sheets of Explosive Runes scrolls.
Leave a note on the front door with Illusory Script spell, make the Suggestion if someone reads it to be "Leave this cottage alone - there is nothing of interest here." Check back in 5 days to renew.
Put a Continual Flame atop the front door so the outdoor light is always on (and folks can read the Illusory Script).
Phantom Trap on the front door lock or another access point.
A Magic Mouth inside that says "The Master has been alerted to your intrusion. He is on his way..."
Arcane Lock every portal.
Hire some strongarms to protect the joint. At a few silver a day with a bonus at the end if the place is not bothered, your 2500gp goes a long way.
| tlc_web tlc_web |
I have a few ideas to make your cottage a bit more secure when you go adventuring. I have put them order of prefference.
1) "Cloth Golems" - Collect a large group of corpses (animal if you are trying to be good)and use an 'Animate Dead' spell on them to create 20 skeletons (Max for 5th level). If you wrap these skeletons in cloth you can tell everyone that they are just "cloth golems". The scroll and components will cost you 1200 gp. The cloth will cost you between 50 and 300 gp depending on how much of the sewing you do yourself and how much your DM wants to charge you.
* Add Bonus - The "Cloth Golems" make great servants when you are home. And if you need some cannon fodder they can be used for that also.
2) Iron window shutters and Iron doors with 'Arcane Locks' and 'Explosive Runes' - Using Arcane Locks, lock all your shutters and doors. Make sure to put a simple lock on each of these. Then near the lock put an small print 'Explosive Runes. If a thief tries to break in they will examine the locks, when they do so they will not help but read the 'Explosive Runes'. The Explosive Runes are costless and Arcane Locks costs 25 GP each. Assuming you have about 10 doors and windows that is only 250 gp.
* Word of Warning: Avoid making the print large enough to read from a distance. Also avoid using explosive runes near anything flamable.
3) 'Phantom Trap' - Use the Phantom Trap spell somewhere in the building. The ideal location is a place you are reluctant to use Explosive Runes. The Phantom Trap does do anything if sprung, but it will slow down a thief or make them think twice about trying to get past the trap. Given the size of your cottage you will likely only have one of theses. They cost 50 gp in components
4) 'Glyph of Warding' - If you have a cleric friend they can place these around your cottage for 200 gp a pop.
5) 'Sepia Snake Sigil' on valuable looking book. This spell is kind of expensive (500 gp a pop) so you will probably not use it much. To get the most mileage out it you should put it the most valauble looking book in your collection. It lasts until it is discharged (which is good for long trips), but once discharged it lasts only a few days.