High level, low security -- suggestions?

[Douglas Muir 406]

A PC is asked to acquire an item from high level NPC's personal space -- her study or office, let's say. The item in question is minor and nonmagical... a seemingly innocent file or letter, something like that. The PC is 3rd or 4th level; the NPC is a very powerful divine caster, 18th level or more.

In order to make this possible, the office needs to have very low security. In the context of the game, this is plausible; the NPC is relaxed and not suspecting anything, and the office doesn't contain anything of great value. There are no guards or sentries once you're in the building. On the other hand, it doesn't make sense that there would be *no* security. At a minimum, you'd expect a lock on the door, right? And maybe one or two minor spells to, you know, keep honest folk honest.

So, my question: assume a wealthy, powerful, high-level caster with access to pretty much anything... but assume also that this office is a very low priority, so it gets nothing more than a simple lock and one or two spells or guardians in the CR 2 or CR 3 range. Again, no guards or living sentries -- anything that exists would be simple and passive. What low-level security might fit this?

thanks in advance,

Doug M.

[Quatar]

On a good day a level 18 caster probably goes to bed with twice as many spells still ready to cast than a level 3 character has the entire week.

It's quite unreasonable to assume that that guy wouldn't cast a few of those low level spells to make his study secure, especially since they either got durations of day/level or can be easily made permanent.

It might not be enough to keep out people of a level like him, but those level 3 thieves, that think the naive high level caster must have some riches hidden somewhere? Yes absolutely.

Think about it this way: That guy didn't get to 18th level by being stupid and careless. He knows the dangers of the world.

What I'm saying is: It might not be possible or at the very least quite dangerous.

[Philip Dhollander]

Level 1: Alarm, mental ping on the outer door and some crucial intersections, where several hallways meet. That'll get you every time!Have the mage show up and catch/chase the culprit.

3.x spell, not sure whether translated into PF: Guards and Wards. Nasty!

Level 2 (I think): unseen servant, made permanent (lvl 5). Have 3 or 4 of these roam the house. It would be logical that a lvl 18 caster doesn't have to carry around his own tray of tea and biscuits. Or clean up his mess or laundry! Even at night, they roam and do some chores. Big chance that they see the intruder and go wake up the mage!

Lvl 4: divination (he IS a diviner, right?). "If I go to bed now without securing the house and hallways with an alarm spell active, will I have an intruder tonight/will anything be stolen tonight?"

Just some options :-)

[Rynjin]

Divine caster eh?

Well at least he's not a Wizard or something, who'd likely have some damn nasty traps to swing around.

At the very least he'd have Obscure Object so people can't just Scry its exact location, and maybe Bestow Curse on the box it's in if possible.

As an 18th level caster he's got 3rd level spells to burn.

[Douglas Muir 406]

Quatar wrote:

It's quite unreasonable to assume that that guy wouldn't cast a few of those low level spells to make his study secure, especially since they either got durations of day/level or can be easily made permanent.

In-game, the NPC has a lot on her plate. This particular office isn't even her main one. She teleports around a lot. It's like... she's a full-time Bishop of Abadar; she's also running a major import-export business; she sits on the City Council; and in her spare time, she teaches a class on "Comparative Magic: Divine and Arcane" for the local Wizards Guild once a week. This is her academic office. She's there twice a week, before class and for office hours.

There are no magic items in there and no money. Nothing but files and student papers and some office supplies. So, I think it's plausible that she wouldn't burn much effort securing this space. (On the other hand, I do think it's plausible there'd be *something*.)

Doug M.

[savior70]

At the very least an alarm spell that Philip suggested, after all it is her academic office and students may want to look at the teacher's answers/notes.

As you said it is her academic office inside a guild. If so then you would need to plan around the guild's security system and less focused on her personal one.

[Darkwolf117]

Honestly, I think you're in luck what with her being a divine caster. Assuming cleric, they really don't have too many alarm type things. The only long term things that would really serve as effective traps or deterrents would probably be the simple spells or something hallow/unhallow. Assuming she doesn't want to blow too much cash on material components for those on a place she only stops by twice a week and doesn't have anything very valuable, I'd actually be surprised, even for an 18+ divine caster, to put much defense on the place.

Now, if you're fine with making a trap that'll just go off when triggered, and making the dormant stage just, I dunno, work somehow, I would perhaps recommend blade barrier in ring form (though make sure the PC's don't actually touch the thing, or they'll get roflskewered with 15d6 damage. You might want to lower that just in case). At 20 feet high, you might be able to set it up for them to get over it somehow and escape before someone catches them.

Edit: If you do want something a little less dangerous, you might just handwave the material cost and put up some Symbols of Sleep or other nonfatal things. Symbol of sleep actually might be really good here.

[Douglas Muir 406]

1) As you say, students might want to come in -- so it's reasonable there'd be something.

2) Guild security isn't an issue: the PC is allowed to be there, right up to the point he opens the office door.

3) Alarm is not a divine spell. So that actually doesn't leave much! A Symbol of Sleep is certainly plausible, but why would she pay the material cost? Hm.

Is there any minor summoned or conjured monster that could plausibly be bound to hang around and keep an eye on the place? A shadow, or OTOH maybe a lantern archon? (She's LN, so she could do either.)

Doug M.

[Kayerloth]

Several thoughts pop up
- First she can have any spell she wants pretty much. Arcane, divine whatever doesn't matter. Given that "she teaches a class on "Comparative Magic: Divine and Arcane" for the local Wizards Guild once a week." I'm pretty sure she knows a very capable wizard or two she could have cast spells (in trade, for cash etc.) as needed. Not to mention the numerous other spell casters of all types she would meet in the normal course of her political life.
- Given this office (one room, suite of rooms?) is of relatively low priority I'd lean towards either hired spellcaster protection who can renew as needed, or if personal spells, ones with very long (weeks, months) or permanent duration. Hired caster (or even an underling within the church/religion) has the advantage that you can control the level and options a bit more. Same caster could be responsible for several sites not just this one.
- Any magic used I'm guessing would be to capture not kill especially given the low priority of this office (don't want to kill the cleaning staff etc. if this building is active around the clock for instance). She's going to save her high level and lethal response for appropriate areas and objects.
- Lockable and barred windows (if any), Locks on the door(s), locks on the drawer/cabinets. Does the office belong to her, her faith or are they essentially renters and it all belongs to some one else (i.e. a landlord)?

The real issue doesn't sound like it should be how protected the office(s) are or how hard it would to get in. The real issue is avoiding get tracked down afterwards if the break-in and theft are detected. Be prepared for that answer as much if not more than how protected the office(s) are.

[Douglas Muir 406]

Well, ideally there´d be some CR 3 or 4 monster set as a watchdog. A construct, outsider or undead could do. The problem there is if they kill the monster, there´ll be obvious signs of a fight, and of course then the monster is dead.

Doug M.

[Tiny Coffee Golem]

At least a Glyph of Warding on the one drawer he keeps locked and possibly the door. If this is the school office I don't think they's put any deadly traps just in case some student wanders in somehow, but perhaps painful and loud. Perhaps Agonizing Rebuke (2d6 nonlethal). That might knock someone out, but won't kill them. Then Magic mouth on their exit point. Perhaps the window.

I say you let the PC make it in relatively unmolested, but when they open the drawer where the letter is and Gets hit with the above. Although from a metagame standpoint you want to make sure the PC has more than 12 HP. Dont want them actually passing out in the office.