I'm trying to set up a city state that the PC's will be traveling through, where casters are illegal (not sure yet if all casters or just arcane casters). Or at least casters that aren't already part of the government apparatus are illegal.
So the magical requirements are handled by teams of enslaved casters.
What I need some way the authorities could reliably manage to enslave and keep control of casters. But I can't let it be something that will horribly imbalance the game if the players learn or get ahold of it.
Is there something like that in the rules already? (Yes, I know I can make something up. But I prefer to stick within the rules as much as possible.)
If there isn't, any recommendations on how to handle this?
RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16
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Frequently-applied castings of dominate person or geas by the legitimate ruling elite casters, with accompanying harsh prohibitions against certain abjurations (protection from evil, etc.).
Perhaps a modified version of dungeon rings.
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RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16
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Or, go way mundane. Keep them noosed, blindfolded, gagged, and fingerbound at all times until you need them to cast a spell, then have someone trained in Spellcraft relax everything but the noose when you want them to cast. If they start casting something other than what they got told to cast, tighten up the noose to keep them from finishing the spell.
If you go arcane casters only it's pretty easy, Feeblemind on them.
Even better (more thematic) have a collar and manacles connected together that has a permanent feeblemind effect on whomever they're put on.
Addict them to a drug that the state controls. Possibly something that will slowly kill them if they do not get their fix. If you really want to get creative have the drug boos their casting stat.
If you go arcane casters only it's pretty easy, Feeblemind on them.
Even better (more thematic) have a collar and manacles connected together that has a permanent feeblemind effect on whomever they're put on.
Feeblemind is a good way to neuter casters(and make your players hate you because its a save or die that can only be cured by a sixth level or higher spell...), but its not a great way to actually reign in casters because its duration is instantaneous and it shuts down any casting done by arcane casters.
I'd think the best way to do it would just have it enforced in the backstory and have an inquisition to reign in the ones that don't want to follow the rules. There are also several magical items for enslavement, such as the collar of obedience, muzzle of suppression, manacles of cooperation, shackles of compliance, and shackles of durance vile.
The only way to enforce a regime like this is with even more magic, so having a powerful magical elite will work here. Wizards are the easiest to control, simply only give them spellbooks that you approve. Teaching slaves to be wizards is much easier than trying to break the will of someone with years of magical training. It would only take about 10 years to get rid of all not approved casters and start over with already enslaved youth. Only give them spellbooks with spells you approve and promise them the opportunity to join the ruling elite if they give 30 years of service or something. Now you have a self sustaining system to replace the elite and to get many wizards to do your dirty work willingly. No outsiders need apply. I can easily picture a Lawful Evil society doing this openly.
State approved spellbooks. Cool.
A custom magic item that is a single use permanent dominate person spell? IE a collar of obediance kind of thing, but it only works once per collar.
If you go arcane casters only it's pretty easy, Feeblemind on them.
Even better (more thematic) have a collar and manacles connected together that has a permanent feeblemind effect on whomever they're put on.
Feeblemind is a good way to neuter casters(and make your players hate you because its a save or die that can only be cured by a sixth level or higher spell...), but its not a great way to actually reign in casters because its duration is instantaneous and it shuts down any casting done by arcane casters.
I'd think the best way to do it would just have it enforced in the backstory and have an inquisition to reign in the ones that don't want to follow the rules. There are also several magical items for enslavement, such as the collar of obedience, muzzle of suppression, manacles of cooperation, shackles of compliance, and shackles of durance vile.
I thought that was the actual goal. I'm of the opinion that you don't try to control God. You strip him of his power and put him in a corner to rot.
Trying to enslave casters but still allowing them to possess the ability cast is like working with explosives.
A little mishandling, one wrong move....boom.
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Trying to enslave casters but still allowing them to possess the ability cast is like working with explosives.
A little mishandling, one wrong move....boom.
That's kinda the point. I'm guessing my players will try to assist in 'boom' happening. Though it won't be the only way to accomplish their goals.
To be truly effective you are probably going to need more than one source of control. You could start with the state control of casters as suggested by Gregory Connolly. Have each caster wear a collar that acts like a Ring of Dungeon so the higher ups can keep track of spell casters. This item could also allow enchantment spells to be cast through the item and even bypass saves.
Then add in a readily available addictive drug that only affects casters. The drug boosts the casting stat of the user for a short time, but once addicted they literally have to have it or die. Keep the addiction part a state secret so that visiting casters will try the drug and be enslaved.
That's kinda the point. I'm guessing my players will try to assist in 'boom' happening. Though it won't be the only way to accomplish their goals....
Trying to enslave casters but still allowing them to possess the ability cast is like working with explosives.
A little mishandling, one wrong move....boom.
I feel that requires incredibly short-sighted villains, but if that wasn't the case the players would have little chance at affecting real change. So...makes sense.
That's kinda the point. I'm guessing my players will try to assist in 'boom' happening. Though it won't be the only way to accomplish their goals....
Trying to enslave casters but still allowing them to possess the ability cast is like working with explosives.
A little mishandling, one wrong move....boom.
Oh oh! Bonus points if they have to stop a caster from casting an epic level spell to obliterate the nation. Not sure if that's a cliché plot or a classic dilemma.
I feel that requires incredibly short-sighted villains, but if that wasn't the case the players would have little chance at affecting real change. So...makes sense.That's kinda the point. I'm guessing my players will try to assist in 'boom' happening. Though it won't be the only way to accomplish their goals....
Trying to enslave casters but still allowing them to possess the ability cast is like working with explosives.
A little mishandling, one wrong move....boom.
Well, a lot of novels and movies are filled to overflowing with short-sighted villains that no one can imagine how they've lasted as long as they have. The protagonist end up being 'the straw that broke the camels back.'
That's the kinda thing my players like. An obvious bad thing without an extensive moral dilemma (enslaved casters) that they can readily fix without needing to do a lot of soul-searching social modification (free a few powerful casters and watch the fireworks).
I will add, the main thing this made me think of is the Wheel of Time book series with the Seanchan and the A'dam they use to control the Damane.
Which is basically a leash that you would put on wizards that allows another wizard to completely control their abilities and prevents the leashed wizard from casting without permission. Also, it inflicts incredible pain if you try to remove it yourself. Which, while not within the ruleset at all, I think is totally what you should use.
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Have some of the handlers be high-level sap-wielding fighters with Disruptive and Spellbreaker, and spellcraft ranks. That way, if the imprisoned spellcasters start a spell that is unrequested, hit them really hard with a sap. If they cast defensively, you still can hit them really hard with a sap. Also try drugging them to where they have the minimum ability score needed to cast the spell, so that offensive spells will have terrible DC's, and concentration checks will be low.
Or you can have them wear a custom-made magical "shock collar" of sorts, that the handlers can activate as a free action [even outside there turn], that does something like a 5th CL shocking grasp or similar effect, with merciful spell to keep it from killing anyone [so the casters can be re-used], so that whenever a spell that isn't liked is cast, they probably can't make the concentration check to keep the spell.
For the PCs, these issues can be fixed by either killing the guards and casting a simple cleric spell[or handing out a potion], or by simply using dispel magic on the collar, and then letting the NPCs have fun killing each other with fire, but for the NPC casters there will be no way out.
A possible way to "enslave" spellcasters based on charisma (bards, oraccles & sorcerers) :
bind some succubus and force the spellcasters to accept the profane gift. 2D6 charisma, no save is quite a good "collar".
Well they still have to be able to cast spells for their captors or there would be no point to enslaving them.
Plus I have to be careful about allowing collars or shackles that they might find a use for. I would need some way to limit that. Otherwise I can see them setting all the wizards free and heading out with all the shackles in the confusion for some major empire building.
