Today I am planning to arrest the party i'm the Gm of. (For killing the king btw.) The party consist of a cleric, a melee fighter, a sorcerer, a rogue and a monk. They are in a big city when this happens and its a city well prepared for adventurers. So there is a task force to arrest adventurers when needed.
For this task they'd definitely need silence spells for the casters, maybe some sort of mind affecting spell for the fighter, a net for the monk? Was thinking of see invisibility to be sure..
What would you use to arrest adventurers?
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Treat it like a sting operation. Have the task force watch them for a few days and find out where they frequent and when. Suddenly, when they go into their favorite bar, inn, or other establishment, have an ambush set.
Constricting traps, alchemical flash powder, sleep or stun magic, etc. Whatever you need to incapacitate them. If it were me, I'd have mechanical traps to constrict (or a pit trap); magic traps rigged with an alarm to alert the hidden troops, silence the casters, and fear/dominate/sleep on the party; and flash powder and thunderstones to incapacitate the party before the task force breaches the room. You want it to be over before the task force even enters the room.
Also, as a party member, the whole "What the hell just happened?" moment can be fun. Unless they make a perception check (or the Rogue has trap spotter), then I wouldn't even give them a warning. If one of them gets away, it could be even more fun.
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Is the intent to capture or kill? Presumably capture from the tone of your post, though I'd be thinking "Dead or Alive" if they are guilty of regicide, with a heavy emphasis on "DEAD".
So - to capture: A salvo of surprise round Power Word: Stuns. Stun lock the lot of them. Then some Anti-Magic fields, salvos of high DC sleep poisons? Just brainstorming a bit as I write. Definitely focus on the NO SAVE spells/attacks. Have spellcasters on Counterspell overwatch duty to shutdown anyone who does try to get a spell off. Use spells to shutdown teleportation, plane shifting, etc - otherwise, any high level party who gets crippled during a surprise phase might be tempted to bail first and regroup.
However, while party composition is useful for a start - LEVEL of the intended targets might help dictate strategy, as well as levels of the Anti-Adventurer Task Force (though I understand if you keep this under wraps in case PC's are reading).
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What ever you do, Don't make it impossible to escape capture. If the party feels they didn't have a chance then there is no reason to run the encounter and you might as well sit down at the table and say, "so you are in jail after getting arrested for killing the king." Be prepared for them to escape and what that means for them: hunted by the authorities, bounty hunters, and who their allies are and if/what kind of help they might get. Also be prepared to run the game if some escape and some get captured.
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Split the party! MUAHAHAHAHA!
But really, when they are all alone, strike at them.
One morning, it's the fighter missing, the next: the monk.
Although that might be hard to do...
MythrilDragon does make a good point - keep in mind the intent of where the campaign is heading and where you want it to go next.
Is it retirement/TPK time because killing the King was a stupid move/epic failure of judgement? Is it the next phase of a "Great Escape/The Fugitive" storyline? Or maybe a "Kingdom in Turmoil/Revolution" story where the PC's might figure prominently (if they can escape either the trap OR the prison).
Lots of fun potential, if your group can roll with the punches.
The goal is capture,(for judgment) not kill.
I'll keep you're point in mind MythrilDragon, i haven't tougth about it that way, thanks!
The next step for them is proving their innocence, they've been set-up.
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Although the advice about how to capture them is useful, and I do think the authorities should prepare for this eventuality, I think an initial approach by someone they have reason to respect asking them to turn themselves in, could add an extra level of role-playing possibilities.
What is the true situation? Did they kill the king? What is the motivation of the people involved?
Exploring these and other questions will not only be essential to succeed, but will be enormous fun playing!
Keep us informed! : )
Depending on how you execute things, but give them the opportunity to turn themselves in.
If I thought killing a mad/evil king would get me arrested, I wouldn't like it very much if I didn't get to defend myself with a trial before I get beat up by the police, especially if I'm a lawful character. Now if they're evil, that's less of a problem but the end result could still be beneficial if you give them this chance.
If you're having it be a real sting then send in a negotiator prior to sending in the calvalry. Have a wizard scry on the negotiator, so when things fall through(they say no, stab the guy, etc) then the swat team busts in for real having taken the opportunity(ie, the distraction the negotiator gave them) to surround them completely. It's even better if a few of them turn themselves in, then fighting the remander will be even easier.
Plus it's just a nice thing thematically. Giving your players this small gesture allows them to actually recognize that you've got them surrounded and that perhaps they messed up if that's your intent. It also lets them know that, perhaps, your goal isn't to TPK them and that they have an opportunity to defend themselves and even escape(this just isn't the time or place).
Edit: Ninja'd by Malachi lol.
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The goal is capture,(for judgment) not kill.
I'll keep you're point in mind MythrilDragon, i haven't tougth about it that way, thanks!
The next step for them is proving their innocence, they've been set-up.
Funny, I actually ran a situation similar to this recently with my players. What I did is assign an Advisor to the party who sort of acts as their lawyer. Give the players a week or so in game to build their case. During this time, the Advisor can answer any questions they might have and can provide suggestions to them. Also during the week that they have to build their case, they should still be under arrest so they're not completely free to just wander the world and simply hide from the authorities. Have their hands and feet in chains and have them be escorted by city guardsman while they work on building their case. This is some great opportunity for role-playing.
Make the Advisor someone powerful, like a Wizard several levels above the PCs (and maybe even put his power on quick display if the opportunity presents itself so that the party knows he's not to be messed with). In building the case, have the Advisor present several areas for the PCs to pursue to help prove their innocence, such as where they were and what they were actually doing at the time of the king's death, and perhaps seek out any potential witnesses who might also know of the PCs' innocence. It might also be fun to have the PCs solve who is ACTUALLY responsible for killing the king as part of the case building. Again, it's a great opportunity for out-of combat utility and skill checks, as well as role-playing. If you use an Advisor NPC, don't have him solve any of the party's problems, but instead act as a bare-bones guide who is representing the PCs.
I would even say that during the trial, make the party choose one of THEM to be the party spokesman - NOT the advisor. Some diplomacy/bluff checks may be in order toward the judge/jury. You can even allow the spokesman to call up witnesses, ask questions, and basically try the party's case. The whole thing is a nice, fun deviation from fighting and dungeon crawling.
Question, is arresting something you want them to have a chance of escaping from or is the party being arrested part of your story that you want to happen.
If you want them arrested then just tell the party they are arrested. There is no point in frustrating the players with battle they can't win. I've played games like that where the GM arrests the group and we play out a futile battle with us thinking we have chance when in reality we have none. As well I've run games where I wanted the players arrested and having authorities battle it out with the players just gets them more angry than if I just narrate the event of them getting arrested.
Now if you want them to have chance to escape then you let them battle it out. Make if fair with good chance of them losing if they stay to fight and they may end up arrested dead or alive. Escape is the best option but don't make easy.
Depending on PC level and spell DCs it is possible a sphere of invulnerability or a soul bind object would be usable..
Basically, an item for each PC that they must pick up at the same time with Soul Bind cast on it as a trigger to the item.
They get the save for picking the item up, but its a far worse save. On party member might make it but its fairly unlikely. Then their bodies can have equipment removed and be imprisoned and their souls released.
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Depending on how you execute things, but give them the opportunity to turn themselves in.
If I thought killing a mad/evil king would get me arrested, I wouldn't like it very much if I didn't get to defend myself with a trial before I get beat up by the police, especially if I'm a lawful character. Now if they're evil, that's less of a problem but the end result could still be beneficial if you give them this chance.
If you're having it be a real sting then send in a negotiator prior to sending in the calvalry. Have a wizard scry on the negotiator, so when things fall through(they say no, stab the guy, etc) then the swat team busts in for real having taken the opportunity(ie, the distraction the negotiator gave them) to surround them completely. It's even better if a few of them turn themselves in, then fighting the remander will be even easier.
Plus it's just a nice thing thematically. Giving your players this small gesture allows them to actually recognize that you've got them surrounded and that perhaps they messed up if that's your intent. It also lets them know that, perhaps, your goal isn't to TPK them and that they have an opportunity to defend themselves and even escape(this just isn't the time or place).
Edit: Ninja'd by Malachi lol.
Hey! I'M A NINJA! FEAR ME, AND BOW BEFORE MY...oops! Sorry, knocked my drink over, there...
Excuse me, I have to go and take my tablet...
Why'd they kill the King? What ALLOWED them to Kill the King in the first place? And why are they just sticking around?
Did they just walk into the throne room during court and whack him? Field of Battle? Dropped him while he was visiting the hookers?
Is this part of an ongoing adventure path? Rebels building to confrontation and overthrow of king, or did this playergroup decide for giggles they wanted to go nuke a King cause "Bah, he's like a level 5 NPC class!". IF they're sticking around town, why isn't there more turmoil and such?
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...be careful you do not make them real criminals by accident (ie- the party kills one of the guards during the arrest). You should make it obvious that holding/stunning/non-lethal means only are being used, and that it is "lawful" arrest happening...and strongly hint that any resistance is a crime of itself. Any items taken should be put into a special bag and "sealed" (with the guard muttering "Don't worry, you'll be getting these back later...if there is a later") and such, so they know the plot right away (show trial followed by release or whatever). I have had situations like this go very, very bad (an Inn burning down due to a fireball)
Enjoy - I think the "party arrest" is a classic story element (usually following the "bar fight", but I digress)
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To the OP. Do you 1) WANT the party yo be captured? Or 2) Give the party a chance to escape?
If its 1) You can keep sending waves after waves of law-enforcement personals (Guards, city-watch, wizard hunter...etc ) to wear the party out and capture them.
If its 2) Then you will need to plan more carefully. Maybe focus on capturing 1 or 2 of the party, like the sorcerer and the rogue and have the rest of the party face a "leave them or save them" situation.
Why'd they kill the King? What ALLOWED them to Kill the King in the first place? And why are they just sticking around?
Did they just walk into the throne room during court and whack him? Field of Battle? Dropped him while he was visiting the hookers?
Is this part of an ongoing adventure path? Rebels building to confrontation and overthrow of king, or did this playergroup decide for giggles they wanted to go nuke a King cause "Bah, he's like a level 5 NPC class!". IF they're sticking around town, why isn't there more turmoil and such?
As i said above, they didn't kill the king, they were framed.
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You might want to telegraph what you’re about to do by having some NPCs talk about how the “vicious group of assassins” that murdered the king are still in the area. While they might see right through it and slip the noose, they are less likely to be offended if they do get captured.
It also leaves the prospect of the PC’s getting more involved in the story if they decide to actively search for the King’s killers. Incidentally it can be comedy gold if they gather a bunch of clues and don’t realize that they all pointed towards themselves until the last moment.
You might want to telegraph what you’re about to do by having some NPCs talk about how the “vicious group of assassins” that murdered the king are still in the area. While they might see right through it and slip the noose, they are less likely to be offended if they do get captured.
Great Idea! I'm definitely gonna use this! Thanks!