Does anyone know of other methods of capturing and making creatures transportable other than a Mirror of Life Trapping? I really want something more portable and less expensive than the MoLT. The idea is plot releated, essentially having creatures released on purpose or by accident. I am specifically interested in large or smaller creatures behind held and moved around easily via a holding object.
A wagon with room for a 6 ft diameter cloth to be rolled out. Then fitted with a grate over top of the cloth.
This would allow for readily transporting large quantities of whatever by use of a portable hole.
Is there some reason why normal mundane ways of holding and transporting the creatures wouldn't work? A heavy-duty wagon fitted with a masterwork steel cage should do the trick for most creatures...
I really want the item to be *small*, something that could be easily carried - the MoLT is a bit unwieldy at 4ft.
The portable hole is an idea but the lack of air inside would be problematic. Ideally a creature wouldbe held in stasis.
The item can even be a one-shot deal: capture, transport, release, finished.
pokeball?
Sepia Snake Sigil - To put creature in stasis for days. Portable Hole - to transport it.
There's the Iron Flask. It beats the mirror on portability, though it isn't much cheaper, and it's restricted to use on extraplanar creatures only.
Everything depends on what level and how accessible this 'thing' needs to be (and size / type to a degree).
If your willing to go the whole hog, Temporal Stasis removes the need to eat / drink etc etc, but you need to dispel it at the end. It's also 8th level.
Flesh to stone probably has the same effect,(though reading the desc is doing my head in). Minor drawback that you need a fort save to come back. Jury is out on if you could shrink someone with it (Oddly, doesn't explicitly state that you either receive the petrified condition).
Alternately.... if this is just for some random terror mission.... Hit up what you want sent with Ice Crystal Teleport and drop it in that way.